Invasive, tree-killing bug species found in Texas

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive, wood-boring pest that populates ash trees and has killed millions of trees across 35 states since arriving in the United States in 2002. And now, it has been discovered again in Texas.

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, adult beetle specimens were collected in late June in northern Cooke County.

While initially labeling them as part of the EAB family, further testing was ordered and one of the beetles was sent to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The beetle was confirmed to be an EAB.

The EAB was first detected in Texas in 2016 in Harrison County in East Texas. Since then, the EAB has been confirmed in over a dozen other counties, including Cooke County.

“EAB is a major threat to urban, suburban and rural forests as it aggressively kills ash trees within two to three years after infestation,” Allen Smith, Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Forest Health Coordinator, said.

After the lab identified the beetle, Cooke County was added to a list of Texas jurisdictions “under quarantine” by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

According to a press release from Texas A&M’s Forest Service, “TDA quarantines are designed to slow the spread of the insect by restricting the movement of any woody ash material leaving the quarantined area.”

Often, the EAB is transported unintentionally by way of wood products.

“Because EAB is transported unintentionally on firewood and wood products, the quarantine helps slow the beetle’s spread by restricting the movement of wood in and out of affected areas,” Smith said.

Each year, the Texas A&M Forest Service sets and monitors traps for the pest.

“Since 2018, we have deployed nearly 500 traps across Central, East and North Texas annually, watching for the insect’s presence and movement,” Smith said. “Early detection of the beetle is the best way to stop the spread and avoid high ash mortality.”

While the press release does not confirm the presence of EABs in Bexar County, communities are encouraged to find resources on identifying and managing potential infestations.

For more information on TDA quarantines, click here.

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