Current map of EAB detections; photo courtesy of the USDA

The Emerald Ash Borer

Iowa County has become the latest home for the pest destroying ash trees around Iowa known as the Emerald Ash Borer, or EAB. The Iowa County Conservation Board discovered evidence of EAB at Lake Iowa Park, and following further investigation the insect samples were positively identified as EAB by a federal identifier. A representative from the Iowa Department of Agriculture believes the pest was brought to Iowa County by campers bringing infested firewood into the area. Firewood has proven to be the most common vehicle for the EAB. The Iowa EAB Team strongly urges people to only use locally-sourced firewood and only burn it in the same county it was purchased.

Iowa County is another local county to have confirmed EAB infestations, joining Washington, Johnson, Louisa, Henry, Jefferson, and Keokuk Counties. The EAB is a slender, one-half inch long metallic green beetle that originated in Asia. With the addition of Iowa County, there have now been confirmed infestations in 36 counties in Iowa and 28 states nationally, with tens of millions of ash trees falling victim. Jefferson County is experimenting with a preventive solution involving a beneficial breed of wasp, but there is no word yet as to its effectiveness.