(Radio Iowa) – The Emerald ash borer is now confirmed in all 99 Iowa counties and the impact can be seen across the state. Entomologist Mike Kintner oversees the state Ag Department’s efforts to battle the invasive beetle and says ash trees make up half the trees in some communities.  “After emerald ash borer moves through a community, you can really see the impact it has, not only aesthetically, but also financially. It can kind of put a burden on municipalities with resources and also homeowners,” he says. Kintner says preventive insecticide treatment is an option for healthy ash trees. But once they show severe symptoms – like dead branches in the top third of the tree – recovery is less likely.

Kintner says the damage is easiest to spot in summer when healthy branches leaf out. “Even during the winter months you can still find E-A-B in trees even though the leaves are off, because what happens is the woodpeckers will come in if a tree’s infested,” Kintner says.

The woodpeckers dig into the tree bark to eat the larvae underneath. Infested ash trees tend to die within two to four years. As landowners and communities consider replacing these trees, Kintner [ recommends planting with diversity in mind.