On August 9th, USDA-APHIS announced the expansion of the regulated area for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Virginia to include the entire state, following a Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services decision to place all counties and independent cities of the Commonwealth under EAB quarantine. This decision came after EAB was confirmed from 19 of Virginia’s 95 counties. The pest was first discovered in Fairfax County, VA in 2003 but was thought to be eradicated. It was rediscovered in Fairfax County in 2008.
EAB is an invasive wood boring beetle that attacks ash trees (genus Fraxinus). The larvae enter through the bark and create galleries that disrupt the flow of food and water in the tree. After sufficient infestation the tree eventually dies. The beetle is native to China and eastern Asia and is thought to have entered the U.S. through infested wooden pallets. Long distance movement of firewood from quarantine areas poses the highest risk of spreading EAB. Click the following links for
more information on Emerald Ash Borer and the
APHIS federal order for the pest.
