Survey Program
Related Documents     Related Images

Emerald ash borer visual survey and detection efforts in Wisconsin have been carried out cooperatively since 2004 by the Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP), the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR), USDA APHIS, USDA Forest Service Research and the University of Wisconsin and UW Extension. The emerald ash borer is a serious insect pest that threatens the health of all ash tree species in Wisconsin. With an estimated 770 million forest ash trees at risk in Wisconsin, the state is committed to early detection and thoughtful management of this pest. To date, Wisconsin's survey efforts have included visual, detection tree and purple panel trap surveys. Surveys have been conducted in high risk areas across the state, including state, federal, municipal and private lands.

Purple Panel Trap
Detection traps are the newest tool to assist with EAB detection. The traps are purple, almost three feet tall and one foot wide, and covered with a sticky substance. The adult beetle will stick to the trap if it lands on it.

Traps are placed in the tree canopy prior to the start of adult EAB emergence and are left hanging through the end of seasonal beetle flight. During the summer of 2013 up to 1,100 purple detection traps will be deployed statewide for EAB detection purposes.

Visual Survey Methods
Visual detection surveys for emerald ash borer are conducted from the ground. Surveyors determine if trees are infested by visually scanning them for emerald ash borer-like symptoms and signs.

Symptoms characteristic, but not definitive, of emerald ash borer include branch dieback, epicormic sprouting at the base or along the trunk, woodpecker feeding, and bark splits.

Emerald ash borer signs include metallic green adult beetles, cream colored larvae under the bark, D-shaped emergence holes in the bark and S-shaped larval feeding tunnels under the bark.

Survey work has been conducted at state and private campgrounds in Wisconsin since 2004. Due to the high risk of EAB introduction associated with infested firewood, comprehensive surveillance of areas such as campgrounds, where firewood supplies are generally greater, is viewed as a critical measure. Learn more about emerald ash borer signs and symptoms yourself and if you see two or more at once, please report your findings.

Detection Tree Survey Methods
A detection tree is an ash tree (preferably declining in health) that the surveyor girdles, or wounds, causing the tree to release beetle-attracting chemicals. The tree is typically girdled at waist height and an 18-inch sticky band is placed above the wound. The sticky band, which is used to catch adult beetles, is checked biweekly June through August. Girdled trees are left to stand for one or two growing seasons before they are felled in fall or winter and their bark is removed. Bark removal allows surveyors to detect emerald ash borer larvae and their S-shaped galleries. The larvae are found in the phloem region, sandwiched between the inner bark and outer sapwood. Tree peeling is an essential part of the survey because research has shown that detection trees may be infested with emerald ash borer even if no adult beetles are collected on the sticky band.

To date approximately 2,900 ash trees in 54 counties statewide have been girdled, removed and sampled. Detection tree survey efforts have focused primarily on county, state and federal lands and select municipalities in Wisconsin. EAB has not been detected with this survey method in Wisconsin. However, research has shown that this method is effective at detecting EAB at low population densities. Pending funding availability and additional support from the research community, Wisconsin may continue this work in the future.

If you wish, you can read more detailed information on WI DNR specific EAB survey efforts.



Related Documents
Potential locations of EAB traps in 2013.
2013 Statewide EAB Survey final.pdf

Answers to frequently asked questions about the 2013 survey program.
2013 Survey Program FAQs.pdf

Answers to frequently asked questions about the EAB program.
2013 EAB Program FAQ.pdf


Back to Top...

Related Images

Emerald ash borer detection tree, complete with girdle and sticky band.


DATCP surveyors looking for EAB larvae in Delafield in 2008.


Removing suspect beetles from a purple trap in southern Wisconsin.

Back to Top...