Dying ash

[Ashful]

Noticed this tree was unhealthy last fall, as I was setting up my wood splitting area. New to the property, so I don't know the history on it. I had assumed it was yet another walnut, but looking more closely at it for the first time this evening, I think it's an ash. So much easier to tell after you cut 'em.

Lots of holes and damage from some bug. I've seen lots of carpenter ants on it, but they're likely not the initial inhabitant. This has long been a wood stacking area, and the previous owner had a truck-sized pile sitting in the mud rotting for what looked like 20+ years, so no surprise on there being some bugs.

Any prognosis? I expect it will die. I do not believe it was EAB (none of my other ash show the signs, and they're not known to be in this area), but I do see a lot of eraser-sized holes!

Hand included for scale.

 

[bogydave]

Not sure that's ash.
Gonna come down soon with or without your help, good to do it on your terms

Your first thought might be right, walnut.
Got leaves yet?

 

[HDRock]

Check out the green area, thats where the ash borers are, you might have more dead ones to come

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/#sthash.xACgieAe.dpbs

On June 27, 2007, Emerald Ash Borer was confirmed in Pennsylvania.
(broken link removed to http://www.emeraldashborer.info/pennsylvaniainfo.cfm#sthash.4vgyMylW.dpbs)

 

[nrford]

Those are not EAB holes.

 

[Mitch Newton]

Those are not EAB holes.

Ditto That

 

[Ralphie Boy]

I just took down a smaller ash that had similar damage. Carpenter ants and wood roaches tunneling on the bottom and EAB up about 20ft. I don't know who moved in first. EAB, as I understand it, look for damage to the bark to lay their eggs so the larva hatch under the bark in prime food land and the D shaped holes are the developed EAB's "exit wound".

Dropped a blue ash last year that only had a few leaves in the crown and no signs of EAB until it came down. Their D shaped holes were about 35 ft. up where you couldn't see. I guess mamma EAB laid her eggs at the base of a small broken limb.

Not sure that's even an ash. The damage to the bark can play tricks on purely a bark I.D.. Need to see buds and/or leaves. Does it have distinct opposite branching? Take the tree down what ever it is, it is coming down with you or without you. Just no point leaving a sick tree standing.

 

[ScotO]

Definitely NOT EAB. Not 100% sure that is an ash, either. Kinda looks like tulip poplar......

 

[gzecc]

Noticed this tree was unhealthy last fall, as I was setting up my wood splitting area. New to the property, so I don't know the history on it. I had assumed it was yet another walnut, but looking more closely at it for the first time this evening, I think it's an ash. So much easier to tell after you cut 'em.

Lots of holes and damage from some bug. I've seen lots of carpenter ants on it, but they're likely not the initial inhabitant. This has long been a wood stacking area, and the previous owner had a truck-sized pile sitting in the mud rotting for what looked like 20+ years, so no surprise on there being some bugs.

Any prognosis? I expect it will die. I do not believe it was EAB (none of my other ash show the signs, and they're not known to be in this area), but I do see a lot of eraser-sized holes!

Hand included for scale.

View attachment 101769 View attachment 101770 View attachment 101771

Give us a picture for back further, maybe most of the tree.

 

[Waulie]

Definitely not EAB. I don't think it's ash either.

 

[Ashful]

Thanks, guys. Will get out a real camera and get a better photo this weekend. Those photos above were from an iPhone.

I'm not sure it's an ash either. I initially assumed Walnut, as I have many, many walnut trees. It does have a few leaves, but they're still too small and way too high in the tree to ID from the ground without binoculars. They're actually so sparse and high up on the tree that I couldn't even tell from the ground if the leaves were opposite or alternating.

I agree on this tree not being long for this world. Shame, as it's the sixth tree I've lost in this corner of the yard inside 1 year, although this is only the second lost to disease.

 

[jdp1152]

Check out the green area, thats where the ash borers are, you might have more dead ones to come

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/#sthash.xACgieAe.dpbs

On June 27, 2007, Emerald Ash Borer was confirmed in Pennsylvania.
(broken link removed to http://www.emeraldashborer.info/pennsylvaniainfo.cfm#sthash.4vgyMylW.dpbs)

Not familiar with any ash other than White, and that tree isn't it. The map you've posted is a bit misleading. In MA, there are only a few trees confirmed so far in a specific county out west. Ash are still dying here like crazy though. I've got several dead on my lot and have already removed several. Aroborist said Ash Yellows or something like that was destroying them in the Northeast and once the EAB invaded from the NY border, most didn't expect an Ash tree to be left standing alive.

 

[Ashful]

Pretty sure this is an ash. Was outside tonight (again without the good camera), and could see clearly opposite branching at the new growth / leaves. So, it's no walnut (alternate branching).

Will post more iPhone pics momentarily...

 

[Ashful]

 

[jdp1152]

The bloom looks like it could very well be ash and they do love 2-3 trunks.

 

[HDRock]

Those are not EAB holes.

Now, I don't know if those are EAB holes or not but, the dead ash around my property has the same kinda holes, and my trees are dead, thats all I know

 

[jackatc1]

Ash.