emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis
The emerald ash borer attacks and kills all ash tree species. It has not been detected yet in Alberta.
Alberta’s ash trees are vulnerable.
The environmental, social, and economic impacts of EAB in Alberta are considerable.
People in their communities monitoring, recording, and reporting their observations exponentially increases Alberta’s capacity for early detection and rapid response of this invasive wood-boring species.
Your participation will make a difference! Join the iNaturalist monitoring project:
“Emerald Ash Borer Monitoring in Alberta”
Reviewing the information below will provide important context for your observations and information on what to monitor for.
EAB Highlights
An invasive and highly destructive wood-boring beetle that kills only and all ash tree species. (Fraxinus spp.)
Was first detected in eastern United States and Canada in 2002, spreading westward. EAB has killed tens of millions of ash trees across North America.
Native to northeastern regions of Asia including eastern Russia. Thought to have been accidentally introduced to North America from infested wood packaging materials in overseas shipping containers.
A mature adult beetle is roughly the size of a grain of rice, measuring only 8.5-14 mm long and 3-3.5 mm wide.
Adult beetles can fly up to 10 km. The emerald ash borer continues spreading into western Canada, establishing in new communities with recent detection in British Columbia in 2024.
Tree death is caused by larvae feeding on inner tree tissues, interrupting the flow of essential water and nutrients. Once infestation thresholds are reach, tree mortality is assured within 1-3 years.
EAB spreads quickly when people transport infested firewood from one location to another. ‘Burn it where you buy it!’ remains a key campaign message across North America.
Risk Awareness
Cities across Canada consider trees as assets in their budgets and are valued for their environmental, economic, public health, and social benefits. Equally, their care incur costs that are captured in long-range urban forest management plans.
Emerald ash borer, as an invasive species, is considered ‘very high risk’ within risk assessment outcomes, resulting in action plans being developed in anticipation of its arrival.
The cities of Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Red Deer, and more are preparing.
Communities already impacted by EAB have faced significant environmental, ecological, and economic impacts due to removal, disposal, replacement of infested/dead ash trees, including application of control treatments.
Within the first three years of EAB arriving in North America, Detroit, Michigan saw a 30% loss of their urban canopy and an increase in urban temperature of roughly 4 degrees celcius (Michigan State University, 2024).
