The emerald ash borer is a tiny, invasive beetle with a metallic, bright green body. (David Cappaert/Michigan State University/Bugwood.org)
The emerald ash borer is a green, shiny beetle that lives on ash trees in certain parts of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. It is an invasive species.
Appearance:
Metallic, bright green body
Flat back
Rounded belly
Grows to one-half an inch long
Habitat:
Lives in and on ash trees, including black ash, green ash and white ash
Young feed on ash tree tissue just under the bark, forming S-shaped lines in the tree
Predators:
Woodpeckers prey on emerald ash borer larvae
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
Between May and June, adults emerge from ash trees, leaving D-shaped exit holes in the trees
Females lay their eggs on ash tree bark between mid-May and mid-August
After the eggs hatch, larvae burrow under the bark. They feed on the tissue that carries food and water up and down the tree, which starves the tree to death.
Larvae remain in the ash tree through the winter
Other Facts:
Introduced to the Chesapeake Bay watershed in 2003 when a Michigan nursery shipped ash trees to Maryland.
It is estimated that emerald ash borders have killed more than 20 million ash trees in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.
To help stop the spread of the emerald ash borer, don’t move firewood from one location to another. Emerald ash borer larvae can live in firewood.
If you find or suspect an emerald ash borer in Maryland, call the Department of Agriculture at (410) 841-5920. In Pennsylvania, call (866) 253-7189. In Fairfax County, Virginia, call (703) 324-5304.
