(St. Paul MN-) The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Sherburne County for the first time. There are now 36 counties in the state, including Sherburne, with EAB.
A tree care company contacted the MDA after suspecting a tree in Elk River was infested with EAB. MDA and city staff were able to find live EAB larvae and collect samples. Federal identification confirmed emerald ash borer.
EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009 and was recently discovered in Kandiyohi County in May on the west side of Nest Lake. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.
Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Sherburne County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the county which limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.