In an effort to prevent further spread of emerald ash borer in Kansas, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are planning to set 568 traps to detect whether the plant pest is present.

Kansas is participating in the USDA survey to monitor known emerald ash borer infestations and detect unknown beetle populations.

“Emerald ash borer was detected in Wyandotte County in August 2012 and in Johnson County in 2013, but we are hopeful that we do not find any additional infestations in the state” said Laurinda Ramonda, KDA state cooperative agriculture pest survey coordinator. “These traps are an important monitoring tool. In the event of infestation, early detection would help KDA limit the spread of emerald ash borer.”

KDA will set up 80 traps in seven counties, including Barton, Bourbon, Douglas, Ellsworth, Leavenworth, Marion and Osage. The rest are being put up by USDA. The purple, prism-shaped traps are coated with nontoxic glue. While they pose no risk to humans, pets or wildlife, the glue can be messy if touched. Kansans are encouraged to report downed traps to the Kansas Department of Agriculture at 785-862-2180.

The first-ever presence of emerald ash borer in Kansas was confirmed in Wyandotte County on August 29, 2012. KDA has implemented a permanent intrastate quarantine for certain firewood, nursery plants and mulch that is shipped in and out of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties to prevent further spread of emerald ash borer in Kansas. The quarantine applies to any corporation, company, society, association, partnership, governmental agency, and any individual or combination of individuals. It prohibits movement of regulated items from the quarantined area, except under specific conditions established in the quarantine order.

Regulated items under quarantine include the following:

• The emerald ash borer, (Agrilus planipennis [Coleoptera: Buprestidae]), in any living stage of development;

• Firewood of all hardwood (non-coniferous) species;

• Nursery stock of the genus Fraxinus (Ash);

• Green lumber of the genus Fraxinus (Ash);

• Other material living, dead, cut, or fallen, including logs, stumps, roots, branches, and composted and uncomposted chips of the genus Fraxinus (Ash); 

• Any other article, product, or means of conveyance that an inspector determines presents a risk of spreading emerald ash borer and notifies the person in possession of the article, product, or means of conveyance that it is subject to the restrictions of the regulations.

Emerald ash borer, which is a pest of ash trees that is native to Asia, was first discovered in North America near Detroit, Mich., in summer 2002. Since that time, the pest has killed millions of ash trees in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Kentucky, New York, Iowa, Tennessee, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Colorado and South Carolina. Financially, the United States risks an economic loss of $20 billion to $60 billion because of this pest.

To learn more about the emerald ash borer, visit www.emeraldashborer.info. For more on this year’s USDA survey visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/emerald_ash_b/.