Unfortunately the emerald ash borer is starting to hit the ash trees very heavily in my area. There will be no shortage of firewood the next couple of years.
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Ash is On the Menu
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I feel that pain, mostly in my back
I have stacked 6 cord since February and still have close to another 4 cord standing. There is a sweet spot for timing your cuttings, just between all the branches falling off and the wood getting punky. Then the bark peels right off giving you fine clean firewood.
I have stacked 6 cord since February and still have close to another 4 cord standing. There is a sweet spot for timing your cuttings, just between all the branches falling off and the wood getting punky. Then the bark peels right off giving you fine clean firewood.
Not sure if the borer is hitting this area yet but I've seen a couple of dead White Ash. Not sure it's more than usual though.
Hickorynut
Feeling the Heat
Hasn't hit western ky yet but is a few counties over to the east, Louisville I know has been hit pretty hard. Matter of time I guess, I have several beautiful ash trees that I would hate to lose.
jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
We've got it here too just finished splitting and stacking another cord
Today. Got another 2 to be bucked split and stacked but am still waiting on parts for my chainsaw from local dealer
Today. Got another 2 to be bucked split and stacked but am still waiting on parts for my chainsaw from local dealer
Oldman47
Minister of Fire
Not into my wood lot yet but the county was out removing ash just a couple of miles away. I figure I have maybe 2 years before I lose around 1000 green ash that were planted around 1985. I should have no trouble finding fire wood for a few years.
FaithfulWoodsman
Minister of Fire
They have decimated central Ohio. One 250 yd farm fence line I have 27 marked dead, all but a couple which will go too. I will get some, but ohio wood burners won't be able to keep up with the kill off. Get it while you can.
Down White Ash will hold up for a few years but punk will get it eventually...
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Hate to say this but, if your not experiencing symptoms of the borer but someone is a county over or closer, its probably to late for your tree's (unless its a micro tree climate) depending on the size and age of the tree it can take between two and five years for the tree to be killed off.
I live in NW New Jersey, about 5 years ago I started to notice these purple space ship boxes hanging from tree's along the roads every few miles, one day I saw some lady checking a hanging box so I pulled over and asked her what was up with the boxes, she said she was from Rutgars University and they were studying the ash borer, my next question was if the borer was here, she said yes, and its only a matter of time before we start seeing the effects.
I live in NW New Jersey, about 5 years ago I started to notice these purple space ship boxes hanging from tree's along the roads every few miles, one day I saw some lady checking a hanging box so I pulled over and asked her what was up with the boxes, she said she was from Rutgars University and they were studying the ash borer, my next question was if the borer was here, she said yes, and its only a matter of time before we start seeing the effects.
It's just now hitting you in Central IN? most inf Indiana's ash trees have been dead for a few years... I'm wondering how it skipped you...
If you don't want to lose them you need to start treating them NOW. Don't wait until they show signs of stress, it's too late at that point... the trees can be treated, and if you talk to your local co-op or ag chemical supplier you can probably get the chemicals to do it yourself (read the label).
jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
There's a chemical called Triazon or something to that effect. They've been using it here says it's effective protection for 2 yrs. one township has been using it extensively with great results
Have access here for a least 6 cords. Temp's today supposed to be in mid 40's, will get to cutting some. Those little buggars are fast as heck, when you buck a log and there are still some inside. Found one in my bathroom one day and figure it got onto my socks/pants. good thing it did not go inside the pants or the neighbors would have gotten a good free strip show.
I'm much further south than you (it has been progressing from NE corner to the SW) and the map only shows a few dots here as well but you would be hard pressed to find a living ash tree here...
Husky
Feeling the Heat
Hitting my area right now. Just lost about 10 trees this year and I figure it will be about 30 next year and then the following year I won't have any ash and a bare yard.
LocustPocust
Burning Hunk
That's kind of how I feel. EAB is within 20 miles of me as of May according to DEC so it's just a matter of time. With the mortality rate in Southeast Michigan exceeding 99% I figure why not? I cut one in April behind my house and there's another that I'm going to get to at some point later this winter.
Lots of big Ashes in the woods too. It's sad.
Husky
Feeling the Heat
I was in your situation 2 years ago and it hit me this year. I was following the DEC reports in our area and they were saying they were about 20 miles from me in 2013. They are stealth, one year everything is fine then they move in with out you noticing and you'll see the bark on your trees start to fall off like the wood peckers have had a feast. Its is sad and devastating to your property. In my instance I am 90% ash.
FaithfulWoodsman
Minister of Fire
Yeah I plan on knocking them down and off the ground, keeping some but trying to get most to friends and family.
Oldman47
Minister of Fire
Timberwolf530
Member
I was wondering that too. I am in Hamilton County, just north of Indianapolis. It started here about 3 years ago, and our ash population has been devastated. Next spring, a friend of my brother is having me clear out about 30 - 40 ash trees on his property. I had no idea it was so spotty. I thought they just came through in a wave, and wiped everything out.
Oldman - We went to Mammoth Cave last year, and they had these purple tent looking things hanging in the trees. The ranger told me they were traps because the borers are attracted to purple. I don't know how well they work, but if you've got that many ashes, you may want to look into them.
Husky
Feeling the Heat
I was told those tents are only to see if they are in your area and will only trap a few but will not help. One ash borer will have about 90 offspring every year so they add up real fast and each year they grow exponentially. To make things worse they are not real good fliers so they stay close to where they are hatched and only leave the area when there food supply is gone. I was told their range is about 5-6 miles per year.
I was thinking the purple traps are pheromone traps to test for populations. They are around in my County, seen them along the road. The EAB is a few counties below where I am in NY.
I imagine the bugs probably drift on air currents too.
My Ash trees are attractive to other wood boring bugs too. Ive taken down already weakened trees that have been attacked by Elm bark beetles and gypsy moth larvae and the suffer from a leaf fungus here that causes premature leaf drop. And Ive read that alot of borers are attracted to already weakened trees.
I might look into the spray if it protects the trees from all its predator problems.
What is it exactly that is so destructive about this bug?
I imagine the bugs probably drift on air currents too.
My Ash trees are attractive to other wood boring bugs too. Ive taken down already weakened trees that have been attacked by Elm bark beetles and gypsy moth larvae and the suffer from a leaf fungus here that causes premature leaf drop. And Ive read that alot of borers are attracted to already weakened trees.
I might look into the spray if it protects the trees from all its predator problems.
What is it exactly that is so destructive about this bug?
I went and cut up another large ash today at my in-laws. They live about 7 miles from my parents were I have been seeing all the borer damage. The tree I cut today fell in the woods, along with several other nice trees, from a large storm this past summer. It had no signs of borer in it and I looked at several other ash around it and couldn't find any signs either. I guess Shelby county hasn't had a bad outbreak yet. My parents live on the northern side of the county and my in-laws are in the southern portion. Only a matter of time before they are there.
Husky
Feeling the Heat
It lays its larvae in the summer and they bore under the bark. Then they feed all fall and winter on the cambium and basically girdle the tree and stop the tree from getting nutrients and the tree can't feed. They come back out in May early June and do it again laying another 90 or so eggs.
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