Released October 3, 2008
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Cooler temperatures and fireplaces go hand-in-hand, but Arkansans should take into account a nasty insect pest before moving firewood this fall, says Tamara Walkingstick, an extension forester with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
"Firewood is probably the No. 1 reason for the spread of the emerald ash borer," she said. "This insect is very destructive - an infestation is a death sentence for ash trees, whether or not they are healthy when the insects are introduced."
Tree death usually occurs within two to four years, Walkingstick said.
When buying firewood for use at home or at the campground, be sure to ask the vendor if it is ash and where the firewood originated. Much of what is burned in Arkansas is oak or hickory.
"Homeowners and campers should not buy ash firewood from quarantined areas in Missouri or other areas under quarantine," she said.
"Folks can certainly use local ash firewood," Walkingstick said. "If they buy it locally they also need to burn it all while at the campsite or leave it there. Don’t move it home or to the next location."
The U.S. Forest Service said the emerald ash borer is responsible for more than 20 million dead or dying trees and millions of dollars in damage to ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas State Plant Board and other agencies have placed traps around the state to obtain information on their spread and lifecycle.
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies are conducting research, as well as working to educate the public about the threat posed by the emerald ash borer.
Entomologists say the borer, a native of Asia, was first spotted in Michigan in 2002 and probably arrived years earlier in crates, pallets or other shipping materials. The borer is now found in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Wisconsin and Missouri.
The adult form, a beetle, has a dark metallic green back and bright, emerald green underside. It is bullet-shaped and about a half-inch long. The larvae are white and flat with bell-shaped segments and can grow to about 1.25 inches.
For more information about the emerald ash borer, see http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-7066.pdf. Additionally, a video from http://www.dontmovefirewood.org/, provides a humorous message. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rTOkCXHs6o.
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http://www.uaex.edu/news/october2008/1003ashborer_firewood.htm
Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187, ljames@uaex.edu
