Iowa State University Woodbury County Extension host a public meeting regarding Emerald Ash Borers

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - Emerald Ash Borer has now been confirmed in Woodbury, Monona, and Osceola counties in northwest Iowa. As of Thursday, there are just three of Iowa’s 99 counties where EAB hasn’t been confirmed.

That was the focus of a public meeting Thursday night hosted by the Iowa State University Woodbury County Extension.

EAB was first confirmed in Iowa in 2010.

In 2021, the quarantined states set up preventative measures to stop the spread. One way is by banning the movement of firewood and ash materials out of the infested states.

“Emerald Ash Borer is a serious invasive pest. We’ve noticed that it was first noticed in the states in 2002 and since that time it’s at this point in 36. So extremely serious invasive pest,” said Mike Kintner, the EAB, and Spongy Moth Outreach Coordinator for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

While it may be difficult to detect a tree that’s infested, there are a few signs you can look out for.

If the tree is starting to thin from the top, if there is a lot of woodpecker damage, and if there are “D” shaped holes in the bark.

For more information about EAB, and who to contact if you have found a tree that’s infested, click here.

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