New Pesticide To Save Michigan Ash Trees

Over the past few years every time we go camping, the question we always get when checking in is “Are you bringing in any fire wood?” The Michigan DNR has made a conscious effort in trying to stop the pesky Emerald Ash Borer from destroying our Michigan Campgrounds and surrounding forests.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture has given a special approval to use a new pesticide to fight off the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that is decimating Michigan ash trees as well as several other states across the country.

The University of Michigan did a study last year finding the pesticide killed more than 99 percent of the Emerald Ash Borers larvae in trees that were infected, and 100 percent of the adult beetles that attack the tree leaves.

The emamectin benzoate-based pesticide was generated by Switzerland’s Syngenta and Massachusetts based Arborjet Inc. companies.

The metallic green Emerald Ash Borer insect is a native to Asia, and was first found in Michigan in 2002 and has spread like wild fire across much of Southeast Michigan.  More the 25 million trees have been killed or severely damaged in Michigan and at least five sounding states.

The borer is only a centimeter long, its larvae feed on the wood under the bark, cutting off the water and nutrients a tree needs to service, once infected a tree usually does not last more than three years.  Authorities have said the main reason the borer has spread in Michigan so fast is due to people moving firewood around the state.

Tim Somers
MichiganBusinessHub.com