STARKVILLE — The invasive emerald ash borer, which has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America, has been found in Mississippi for the first time, discovered in Issaquena County in July. The Mississippi Forestry Commission confirmed the pest, and it was verified by the Mississippi Entomological Museum before being sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for final confirmation.

Adult EAB are small, metallic green beetles about one-third to one-half inch long. Larvae are white and segmented, living beneath the bark. Adults feed on leaves but do little damage. Signs of infestation include yellowing or thinning foliage, woodpecker activity, D-shaped exit holes, and shoots sprouting from roots or the trunk, often with larger-than-normal leaves.

Kristy McAndrew, MSU Extension forest health specialist, stressed that landowners monitoring ash trees are the best first line of defense. “Larvae live in trees (one to two years) before adults emerge, so symptoms like canopy dieback can appear before we catch adults in traps,” she said.

Landowners who see symptoms should report them to their local MSU Extension agent (found in every Mississippi county), the Mississippi Forestry Commission, or the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Bureau of Plant Industry. MSU Extension agents can also advise on treatment options or refer to licensed applicators for stem injections and soil drenches.
Preventative treatments can protect ash trees, and early infestations may be treatable. Treatment costs range from $100 to $250 for a medium-sized tree, with retreatment recommended every one to three years depending on the method.

EAB can fly only two to three miles, but human activity spreads the pest most. Moving firewood is the main cause of spread. “Don’t move firewood. Burn it where you buy it. Buy it where you burn it,” said McAndrew. Brady Self, Extension forestry specialist, emphasized that hauling away infested trees also spreads EAB. Trees should be burned thoroughly to destroy larvae inside.

For more information on signs and symptoms of EAB infestation, see MSU Extension Publication 2896 at https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/signs-and-symptoms-emerald-ash-borer.