An invasive ash tree pest that has killed millions of trees across 35 U.S. states has now been confirmed in two new Texas counties - Morris and Rusk, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported Wednesday.
With the addition of Morris and Rusk counties, the emerald ash borer beetle (EAB) has now been confirmed in 11 Texas counties, five of which were added this year, the Forest Service said.
“The pest is a major threat to urban, suburban and rural forests as it aggressively kills ash trees within two to three years after infestation,” said Demian Gomez, Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Forest Health Coordinator.
The TAMU Forest Service said the beetle first appeared in Texas in 2016 in Harrison County. Since then, EAB has been confirmed in Bowie, Cass, Dallas, Denton, Marion, Morris, Rusk, Wise, Parker and Tarrant counties.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
EMERALD ASH BORER
Gomez believes the EAB has the potential to kill millions of ash trees across Texas. "The devastation of our ash tree population will have an economic impact of billions of dollars, alter forest structure and composition and negatively affect the animal communities that rely on the tree species to survive.”
The Forest Services says that trees with low numbers of EAB often exhibit little or no symptoms. However, early detection is important so here's what you can look for:
- Dead branches near the top of the tree
- Bark splits exposing S-shaped larval galleries
- Extensive woodpecker activity and D-shaped exit holes
Learn more and find resources on identifying and managing EAB infestations here.
