SHAWANO, WI (WSAU) Emerald Ash Borer, an tree-destroying invasive species that has been spreading throughout the upper midwest, has been reported in Shawano and Oconto counties.
The state Department of Natural Resources forestry division says the ash borer has been found in the City of Shawano and in Little Suamico.
State forest health specialist Alex Feltmeyer says he believes the borer was present in both areas for several years, but had been undetected until now.
EAB destroys most ash trees in 4-6 years after being invested. The borer lays its larve beneath the bark of the tree and strips it from the inside once they hatch. Some ash borers die during prolonged cold temperatures between 0 and -10 during the winter. It’s thought the population has increased after wet springs and summers the last two years.
It’s estimated the 99-percent of Wisconsin’s ash trees will eventually succumb to the borer.
