Emerald Ash Borer in Massachusetts

EAB has been rapidly expanding and is now well established throughout Massachusetts. At this time, EAB has been detected in 12 Massachusetts Counties and confirmed in a total of 280 communities.

EAB continues to spread across Massachusetts through human assisted movement. EAB can be moved in any ash product- ash fire wood, ash nursery stock, or any live ash cuttings. Everyone can do their part protecting our ash resources by avoiding moving ash materials. If you are working with ash trees, chip any materials or leave them on site. To minimize the risk of introduction, no firewood can be brought into DCR campgrounds; safe, treated firewood is available for purchase at each campground.

The Forest Health Program has implemented a trapping program to continue emerald ash borer detections in the state. The trapping program allows state foresters to find new infestations, map the progression and spread of known populations, and determine sites suitable for biocontrol releases. Foresters use three methods of trapping: green funnel traps, sticky purple panel traps, and girdled trap trees. Purple panel traps and green funnel traps will be noticeable, hanging just below the tree canopy on the edge of an ash stand. If you see a trap while visiting public lands, please do not disturb it and if you notice any damage or tampering to a trap, report it to the forest health program.

The forest health program is working in partnership with the USDA-AHPIS and Forest Service to establish biocontrol species to help minimize the impact of the emerald ash borer and to protect our valuable ash trees.  The goal of the biocontrol release project is to establish populations of host specific parasitic wasps from the emerald ash borer’s native range; these wasps will regulate emerald ash borer population growth. All biocontrol species are thoroughly researched prior to introduction into the ecosystem to avoid any negative impacts. Three biocontrol species have been released in Massachusetts, the larval parasitoids Tetrastichus planipennisi and Spathius galinae and the egg parasitoid Oobius agrili. The biocontrols appear to be a promising tool against the emerald ash borer.