We all knew it was going to happen. We just didn't know when. We had hoped it would be later — much later. But unfortunately, what many of us have feared has arrived.

On Wednesday, July 25, 2012 the Missouri Department of Agriculture officially confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer in Platte County. Emerald ash borers are native to Asia and were first found in Michigan in 2002. The insects feed on ash trees and kill them.

If you have ash trees DON"T PANIC
With the insects' arrival in the Kansas City area, there are several important factors to remember.

1) The insects can only fly a half mile. Their primary method for spread is through the transportation of firewood.

If you go camping:

• Buy your firewood at your destination
• Don't transport firewood to or from home
• Burn all leftover firewood before you leave the campsite

2) Just because the insect has been confirmed for our area does NOT mean your trees will be effected

• Emerald ash borers tend to target weak, unhealthy trees. Spend your resources on keeping your trees healthy

  •         Avoid Stressed Trees

            1) Water during dry conditions, (that may include  winter)

• Soak the soil under the entire canopy of the tree to a depth of 6 – 12 inches

•  Detailed watering guidelines can be found in the Missouri Department of Conservation article Water shade trees to avoid drought stress

2) Prune properly, 

• Prune in late winter or early spring

• Prune back to the branch collar, avoid limb stumps

• Prune deadwood but avoid removal of too much healthy canopy

• DON"T top

3) If you are approached by a service offering to pre-treat your trees, call a reputable resource to discuss before signing any contracts or paying for service.

• Pre-treatment is not recommended at this time

  • Insecticidal treatment to prevent insect infestation can be expensive

  • Treatment is not 100% effective

  • Treatment must usually be applied by a professional

  • Treatment Method: soil drench with Imidacloprid

We DO NOT recommend the cutting down of healthy ash trees

4) Symptoms for emerald ash borer infestation:

• Small "D" shaped holes in the trunk

• Dead or dying tree crown with suckers sprouting from the trunk base

5) Free help is available to assist you with questions and to provide information

• Call your local Cooperative Extension office.

  • In Johnson County, call K-State Research and Extension at 913-715-7000 or

  • Call their Gardening Hotline at 913-715-7050, or email at garden.help@jocogov.org

• Missouri residents who suspect their ash tree is infested can call a hotline. Call 877-564-7483

While it is most unfortunate that we must now factor this new landscape threat into our lives, I would reiterate that we all step back and take a deep breath and take a wait-and-see approach to what develops.