The Tree Doctor's Limb

Note:  This post marks the first of many regular postings by Parkesburg's own tree specialist, Mike Martorona, owner of The Tree Doctor.

Mike is a Longwood Garden trained certified arborist who started The Tree Doctor in 1989.  Mike reads trees and plants like the Phillies pitching staff reads opposing batters.  He and his team have an uncanny ability to bring out the best trees and shrubs, all at a reasonable price.

With happy customers across Parkesburg and Octorara, The Tree Doctor serves clients with challenging tree issues in Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, and Lancaster counties.

Call Mike for assistance with your trees and shrubs at 610.269.TREE (8733) or visit his homepage here.

By Mike Martorano

Have you been wondering what those purple boxes are hanging in area trees?

THIS IS AN ALIEN INVADER TRAP!  They are among us!

And THIS is what the aliens look like!

The Purple Box Traps are monitoring for Emerald Ash Borer.

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. 

Since meeting with the Pittsburgh City Arborist in February we’ve discovered EAB in Harrisburg and they are suspected in Kennett based on symptomatic trees.  At The Tree Doctor, we've been injecting trees for the past several years to create a more EAB resistant Ash tree.  They’re coming to Parkesburg soon! 

Emerald ash borer is also established in Windsor, Ontario, was found in Ohio in 2003, northern Indiana in 2004, northern Illinois and Maryland in 2006, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia in 2007, Wisconsin, Missouri and Virginia in summer 2008, Minnesota, New York, Kentucky in the spring of 2009, Iowa in spring of 2010, and Tennessee in the summer of 2010. 

Since its discovery, EAB has:

• Killed tens of millions of ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more lost in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Quebec, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
• Caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, New York, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Kentucky) and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs.
• Cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries tens of millions of dollars.

On June 27, 2007, Emerald Ash Borer was confirmed in Pennsylvania.  Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that destroys ash trees, has been detected for the first time in Pennsylvania and a quarantine will be imposed for Butler, Lawrence, Allegheny and Beaver counties.

Adult beetles were found on an ash tree in Cranberry Township, Butler County, by U.S. Department of Agriculture surveyors, through a joint effort by federal and state agriculture departments, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Penn State Extension. 

The Emerald Ash Borer has forced similar quarantines in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland and Michigan.  "Emerald Ash Borer poses a major threat to ash trees," said Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff. "To best manage any effects of an infestation, we’re working to determine whether this is an isolated incident or a more widespread problem."

State and federal officials are conducting intensive surveys for the insect near the detection site. The quarantine is designed to help slow the spread of the beetle.

Thanks to the Emerald Ash Borer folks at: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/