Issue 19, November 20, 2009
Emerald Ash Borer
The Illinois trapping results for emerald ash borer have been compiled by the Illinois Department of Agriculture in cooperation with USDA APHIS. The large, purple traps were used again this year. The only catches of emerald ash borer were within the quarantined area of the state. Although these traps are not sensitive enough to pick up all early infestations, they should detect any large infestations. In all, there were no detections of emerald ash borer in Illinois outside of the state quarantined area, whether by trap or other means.
New emerald ash borer infestations were found by trap and other means during 2009 in the following Cook County communities: Bartlett, Flossmoor, Hanover Park, Lansing, Morton Grove, Palatine, Park Ridge, Rosemont, Schaumburg, Schiller Park, and LaGrange. New infestations were detected in Hinckley, Mayfield, and Sycamore in DeKalb County. New infestations found in DuPage County included: Addison, Glen Ellyn, Itasca, and Lombard. Kane County had new 2009 finds in Elgin, Hampshire, Virgil, and West Dundee. There were new finds in the Lake County communities of Lake Forest, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, and Barrington Hills. New infestations were also detected in Lake in the Hills, Marengo, and Woodstock in McHenry County, Normal in McLean County, and Peotone Township and Frankfort in Will County.
Parasitic wasps were released in Evanston and Chicago to control emerald ash borer. The egg parasite, Oobius agrili, was released in both locations. The larval endoparasitoid, Tetrastichus planipennisi, was also released in Chicago. It is too early for any results from the releases. These species were released in Michigan in 2008, and very small numbers of progeny were subsequently located.
New information is frequently added to the Illinois Department of Agriculture emerald ash borer website. Nationally, an excellent, active site is www.emeraldashborer.info.--Phil Nixon
Author:
Phil Nixon