In July 2010, Village Arborists reported suspected infestations of the Emerald Ash Borer in Orland Park in parkway trees on Kiley Lane in the Orland Woods Subdivision. The Village immediately contacted staff from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and on Tuesday July 27, 2010, it was confirmed that six parkway trees were infested. These parkway trees were immediately removed by the Village Arborists due to infestation. The Village Arborists have been diligently monitoring parkway trees in our community for several years looking for any signs of the pest and responding to resident notifications as soon as possible. Parkway trees found to be infested were removed in accordance with Department of Agriculture disposal protocol.

Village staff recently completed a multi-year inventory of all parkway trees as part of the village’s GIS mapping system. This information provides a fairly accurate count, location and species of parkway trees within Orland Park. As a result, we are able to estimate that Ash trees represent approximately 20 to 30 percent of the trees that are currently planted in parkways throughout the Village This inventory does not account for the numerous Ash trees located in Village parks or on private property throughout the Village.

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a small (1/2 inch long, 1/8 inch wide) metallic green beetle that has killed millions of ash trees across the Midwest. It is often mistaken for the Japanese Beetle which has similar coloring however it is much larger. Native to Asia, the beetle was first discovered in the summer of 2002 in southeastern Michigan. Since the infestation in Michigan, the emerald ash borer has been found in a number of states, including Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

In June 2006, the emerald ash borer was discovered in Kane County. State officials found exit holes in at least 20 trees left by adult Emerald Ash Borers suggesting that the beetles have been in that area for at least three years. In July 2006, another infestation was found in the City of Wilmette in Cook County. The emerald ash borer has been confirmed in area communities such as Naperville, Geneva, St. Charles, Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Elburn, Homewood, and Hazel Crest. The emerald ash borer was also found in the City of Chicago in June of 2008. Due to the potential magnitude of this infestation and the impact to the Village financially and aesthetically, as well as the possibility of effective chemical treatments and remedies being developed, the Village will announce a comprehensive reforestation plan at a later date.

The adult emerald ash borer emerges between May-July and feeds on the leaves of ash trees. Soon after they emerge, the adult females lay numerous eggs on the trunk and branches of the tree. The eggs hatch within 7-10 days and the larvae, which are creamy white in color, bore into the bark of the tree. The larvae begin to feed and create S-shaped galleries, which cut off the food and water supply to the tree, causing it to die.

Ash trees are very common in landscapes and most species, namely white ash and green ash, are native to Illinois forests. Ash trees are the most numerous species in the Village’s parkway tree inventory. Approximately 20-30% of the Village’s parkway trees are ash trees. The planting of ash trees is not allowed on any Village parkway and will not be approved on private property landscape plans reviewed by the Village.

Characteristics of Ash Trees: 

• Ash trees feature compound leaves made up of small, glossy green leaflets 
• Leaves, twigs and branches grow in opposite pairs
• Bark of mature ash trees is gray and furrowed, often appearing in a diamond pattern
• Some ash trees will produce small canoe paddle-shaped seeds

Infestation of emerald ash borer can be very difficult to detect until the branches of an infected tree begin to die. The most visible sign that the EAB is present is crown dieback, which appears after the first year of infestation. Usually the leaves on the upper third of the tree will begin to thin and the branches will begin to die. A number of suckers and branches will also sprout from the base of the tree and on the trunk. The bark may also split vertically and woodpeckers may begin to feed on the beetle larvae leaving visible damage on the bark. Adult beetles emerging from trees will leave a very small 1/8 inch diameter distinctly D-shaped exit hole that may appear anywhere on the trunk or upper branches. Distinct S-shaped larval feeding tunnels may also be apparent under the bark. Typically, the tree will die in about three years.

Ash trees may suffer from a large number of pest and disease problems that cause similar symptoms as the emerald ash borer. Native borers also attack ash trees, although they leave larger exit holes, up to a 1/4 inch in diameter, that are usually circular or oval in shape. If you are concerned about the health of your ash tree and suspect that your tree has been infested by a pest, contact the Village Arborist at the Public Works Department at (708) 403-6350.

The only certain method to control the emerald ash borer is to remove the tree. Do not transport the wood out of the area. When considering whether to attempt insecticidal control, one should weigh the value of the tree against the cost of treatment. According to the treatment guide available on www.illinoiseab.com, a do-it-yourself insecticidal control option is to apply Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect Control, containing imidacloprid, onto or injected into the soil around the tree annually. The imidacloprid strength is less than the product available by professional arborists.
 
According to the State of Illinois, there are several professional insecticidal control options:

• Imidacloprid (Merit, IMA-jet, Imicide, Pointer) or Emamectin Benzoate (Tree-age) injected into the tree annually. Applications can be made at any time of the year, but are most effective in the spring.
• Dinotefuran (Safari) applied along with PentraBark to the outside bark surface of the tree.
• Foliar and bark sprays of bifenthrin (Onyx), cyfluthrin (Tempo), permethrin (Astro), or carbaryl (Sevin) applied monthly from mid-May to mid-July control visiting beetles and hatching larvae.

The applications of imidacloprid or dinotefuran, which move systemically through the tree, are more likely to provide useful control, according to the State of Illinois. These options require a licensed professional to apply the insecticidal control to the tree.

If residents desire a tree care company to come and remove their tree, or otherwise provide services to them, residents should ask if the company is registered to work within the Village of Orland Park, should request current certificates of insurance, if they employ certified arborists and for current references. It is recommended residents get more than one estimate to help make an informed decision. Tree owners are encouraged to thoroughly research the various treatment options currently available and carefully weigh the costs associated with the required repeated treatments. Treatment of an ash tree will not guarantee that a specific tree might not eventually be required to be removed.

Visit www.emeraldashborer.info/hiringtreeco.cfm for more information.

Do Not Transport Firewood

Emerald Ash Borer can easily be transported in ash logs. Make sure to purchase firewood locally from a known source and be sure to use all of the firewood in the cold months so that no hidden Emerald Ash Borer larvae or adults can survive on logs left through the spring.
 
Monitor the Health of Your Ash Trees

Look for dead and dying branches at the top of the tree's crown. If you suspect an ash tree located in the parkway seems sick or needs maintenance, call the Village’s Department of Public Works at (708) 403-6350.

• National EAB Hotline: (866) EAB-4512 
• Village of Orland park Department of Public Works: (708) 403-6350
• www.emeraldashborer.info 
• Morton Arboretum Emerald Ash Borer Brochure
• Illinois Department of Agriculture