Nine counties now have reported emerald ash borers

Emerald Ash Borer has been positively identified in a residential tree in Newton in Jasper County.

That brings to nine the number of counties in Iowa that have reported an emerald ash borer infestation--Allamakee County and eight others.  No EAB has been spotted yet in Winneshiek County.

Emerald ash borers kill all ash tree species and are 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 remains in effect.

"I hope this latest EAB find is a wake-up call to landowners and communities in Iowa that there is no time to waste in preparing for this destructive beetle," said State Entomologist Robin Pruisner of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. "The time is now to determine how many ash trees you have, what condition they're in, and what you intend to do with those ash trees as the emerald ash borer works its way across Iowa."