WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The emerald ash borer continues to spread in Kansas.
The pest, which has already killed hundreds of millions of Ash trees across the U.S. and Canada, has now spread to 15 Kansas counties. The latest sighting was confirmed this week in Nemaha County by the Kansas Forest Service, working with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension Office.
The emerald ash borer had been suspected to be in the county for some time. However, according to Kansas State, this is the first time a live insect was found to definitely confirm it.
This is the second county with a confirmed sighting this year. The insect was discovered earlier this year in Lyon County.
The invasive beetle is native to portions of Russia, China, Mongolia, Tawain, Japan, and Korea. It arrived in North America in the 1990s, likely with packing material.
The Kansas Forest Service estimates there are around 56 million Green and White Ash trees across the state. The emerald ash borer will eventually wipe out up to 9 billion ash trees across North America.
The trees are important to Kansas’ ecology as they are often found along floodplains and act as protective canopies around wetlands, ponds, and reservoirs, as well as windbreaks along farm fields. The Forest Service says property owners should learn the signs and symptoms of the emerald ash borer and seek out a certified arborist.
You can find a list of certified arborists in Kansas by clicking here.
