On June 30, 2022, emerald ash borer (EAB), an exotic beetle that infests ash trees, was discovered in Forest Grove, Oregon, marking the first confirmation of the invasive pest on the West Coast. The infested ash trees were immediately cut and chipped.
EAB is a destructive wood-boring pest of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). Native to China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Russian far east, the emerald ash borer beetle (EAB) was unknown in North America until its discovery in southeast Michigan in 2002.
Today, EAB infestations have been detected in 35 states and the District of Columbia; Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) recently received federal funds to perform work on biocontrol of EAB. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) provides funding through the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program (PPDMDPP) under the authority of the Plant Protection Act (PPA) Section 7721.
The state is using the Emerald Ash Borer Readiness and Response Plan for Oregon as a guide in its response to EAB. The plan was finalized in March 2021 and created through the collaborative efforts of a diverse group of stakeholders. The state will provide updates as it moves through its response and begins suppression efforts to protect Oregon’s natural resources.
For more information about impacts of EAB to Oregon’s urban forests and the risks to native ash trees please visit the Oregon Department of Forestry's Forest Health webpage.
Suspected sightings
Please report sightings of emerald ash borers to the Oregon Invasive Species Online Hotline.
Pesticide List for Emerald Ash Borer in Oregon
Pesticide list for Emerald Ash Borer
Resources
Emerald Ash Borer brochure
Learn more about what EAB is, the biology, and signs and symptoms. EAB brochure
Emerald Ash Borer Identification Guide - English & Español
From Oregon State University Extension Service. EAB identification guide
Emerald Ash Borer Look-Alikes
Photos of beetles and bugs that may be confused with the emerald ash borer. EAB look-alikes
Emerald Ash Borer Story Map
An interactive story map of the USDA’s history of combating the infestation and the continuing efforts to protect ash trees in the U.S. USDA APHIS Emerald Ash Borer Story Map
Oregon Forest Pest Detector Online Program
The College of Forestry's Oregon Forest Pest Detector (OFPD) free training course prepares you to identify and report high-priority exotic forest pests. Oregon Forest Pest Detector
Recognizing ash trees in Oregon, Washington and Northern California
From Oregon State University. Recognizing ash trees
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