This week there were reported cases of the Emerald ash borer in Burlington in Des Moines County.

Greene County Conservation Director Dan Towers says these insects burrow their way into ash trees and kill them off over one to two years.

So far, Des Moines and Allamakee counties are the only counties to have reported infestations, adds Towers.  He states that the toughest thing for surrounding counties is deciding whether or not to destroy any ash trees because of the threat of the Emerald ash borer.

One thing that is currently happening, Towers notes, is that in Des Moines and Allamakee counties, all ash wood is quarantined and not allowed to leave those counties.  He talks about how Greene County handles individual situations.

“One thing that we look for in the parks, if we see Des Moines County or Allamakee County campers that decide to camp in our park, everybody in the park business is done to make sure that firewood from one of those counties doesn’t end up here and all of a sudden jump start that insect to this part of the state.”

He comments that entomologists believe that these insects may take its toll on Iowa native ash trees such as White and Green Ash trees along with cultivars like Patmore and Marshall Seedless Ash Trees, but over the course of a few years.