The emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered near Detroit in 2002, probably on solid wood packing material. It is spreading to everywhere that ash trees grow, including New Jersey. Every ash tree that is not treated will be killed by this pest. Many already have been.
The most obvious symptoms of the presence of EAB in an ash tree is what is often called “bark blonding”, the removal of strips of bark by woodpeckers attempting to feed on the EAB larvae in the tree. By the time this symptom is visible, it is usually too late to treat. Infested trees are often killed within a year or two after infestation.
The EAB also leave “D-shaped” exit holes as the adults emerge in the spring. These are often hard to see, and often look like holes left by other, less harmful, insects.
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The newest concern in our area is the Spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect native to southeast Asia that was first detected in Berks county, PA in 2014, but now is spreading quickly. Although the name suggests it is a fly, it is really a planthopper. The adult lanternfly can hop a long way, especially when jumping from high in a tree. But the primary way it moves long distances is by effectively “hitchhiking” in every part of its life cycle, from eggs to adults, attaching itself to vehicles, trains and other forms of transport.
Egg masses are putty-colored and hard to detect, and can be found on almost any flat surface. Consequently, the lanternfly has been carried many miles beyond the quarantine zones in PA, DE, MD and NJ, and has the potential to turn up in almost every state in the country.
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