Emerald Ash Borer has been positively identified in trees in the public right-of-way in Waverly. In making the announcement, the Iowa Department of Agriculture also announced EAB has been found in a residential tree in Eddyville in Wapello County.
A certified arborist hired by the City of Waverly to do a tree inventory discovered larvae in declining ash trees along two city streets. The larvae were positively identified by federal identifiers as EAB.
The EAB infestation in Eddyville was found by a citizen who reported suspect ash trees to an Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regional forester. With the assistance of the Iowa EAB Team, larvae were found, and positively identified by federal identifiers as EAB.
EAB kills all ash tree species and is considered to be one of the most destructive tree pests ever seen in North America. A statewide quarantine restricting the movement of hardwood firewood, ash logs, wood chips and ash tree nursery stock out of Iowa into non-quarantined areas of other states was issued on February 4th.
EAB has been discovered in Allamakee County, but not in Winneshiek County.