The destructive emerald ash borer beetle has been detected in Kearney, the farthest west in Nebraska the tree pest has been found so far. Nebraska Forest Service officials say the insect was found in a dying ash tree near Pioneer Park in Kearney. The discovery adds Buffalo County to a list of areas affected by the beetle, which could eventually cost the state and property owners almost $1 billion in mitigation costs.
“As far as we’re aware of, that is the only place out there where EAB has been confirmed,” said David Olson with the Nebraska Forest Service. “It’s quite possible that it has spread to neighboring areas, so that’s where we’re urging people to understand what EAB looks like, what the signs and symptoms of it on trees look like and of course to report any suspicious activity that they might see in terms of declining ash trees.”
The metallic-green beetle was first detected in Omaha in 2016 and in Lincoln in 2018. It’s also be found in Fremont, Ashland and Greenwood. Infested ash trees can be treated, but often die and have to be removed.
“Our goal is to just slow down the beetle as much as possible, to give towns and people enough time to decide what they’re going to do with their trees, to either take those down and replant or to eventually treat them when EAB does show up,” Olson said.
Signs of emerald ash borer infestation include thinning, yellowing leaves, dead branches and holes or cracks in the tree’s bark.