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Emerald Ash Borer

Scientific Name

Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888 (ITIS)

Common Name

Emerald ash borer (EAB)

Native To

Eastern Russia, Northern China, Japan, and Korea (McCullough and Usborne 2015)

Date of U.S. Introduction
Means of Introduction

Arrived accidentally in cargo imported from Asia (McCullough and Usborne 2015)

Impact

Ash trees lose most of their canopy within 2 years of infestation and die within 3-4 years (McCullough and Usborne 2015; Poland and McCullough 2006)

Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald Ash Borer, Adult

Credit

David Cappaert

Find more images

Spotlights

  • The Future of Ash Trees

    • Feb 28, 2024
    • USDA. Forest Service.

    • How can an insect that is smaller than a penny cause so much ecological, economic, and cultural devastation? The emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle native to Asia, is one of the most destructive invasive species in North America. These tiny pests killed tens of millions of ash trees in the northeast – and continue to this day.

      In Maine, a coalition of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, tribal members, state and federal foresters, conservation groups, and local communities have been working for the past twenty years to prepare for the onset of emerald ash borer in northeastern forests. The group, called the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik, is focused on identifying research-informed strategies to protect the future of ash trees.

  • Fighting Invasive Emerald Ash Borers with Woodpeckers and Citizen Scientists

    • May 24, 2022
    • USDA. Forest Service.

    • Invasive non-native insects have been called the "wildfires of the East," given the damage they cause to trees. One pest, the emerald ash borer, has killed hundreds of millions of rural and urban ash trees. To help arborists and city planners track and treat potential outbreaks, U.S. Forest Service scientists seek efficient monitoring techniques.

  • USDA Statement of Confirmation of Emerald Ash Borer in Oregon

    • Jul 15, 2022
    • USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    • On July 11, 2022, APHIS confirmed the identification of emerald ash borer in Washington County, Oregon. The Oregon Department of Agriculture believes that the infestation has been in Washington County at least 3-5 years. Regulatory efforts to stop the spread of emerald ash borer were not effective and it has spread through much of the United States. Emerald ash borer is now in 36 States and the District of Columbia.

      APHIS encourages the public to be on the lookout and report emerald ash borer, and has outreach materials including videos, photos, factsheets, and online reporting available. You can also sign up to receive the emerald ash borer program report through our Stakeholder Registry [PDF, 135 KB].

  • APHIS Changes Approach to Fight Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

    • Dec 14, 2020
    • USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is changing its approach to fight the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation that has spread through much of the United States. The Agency is publishing a final rule that removes the federal domestic EAB quarantine regulations that have proved ineffective and will redirect resources to more promising methods. Removing the quarantine regulations ends APHIS' domestic regulatory activities, which includes actions such as issuing permits, certificates and compliance agreements, making site visits, and conducting investigations of suspected violations.

      The final rule and the response to the comments we received will publish in the Federal Register on December 15, 2020 and be rule will be effective on January 14, 2021. Documents may be viewed online at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/APHIS-2017-0056 upon publication.

      For more information, see: Questions and Answers: Changes in the Approach toward Fighting the Emerald Ash Borer (Dec 2020) [PDF, 692 KB]

  • Don't Move Firewood

    • Nature Conservancy.

    • The Don’t Move Firewood campaign is an outreach partnership managed by The Nature Conservancy. The overarching goal of the campaign is to protect trees and forests all across North America from invasive insects and diseases that can travel in or on contaminated firewood. The central tenet of the Don’t Move Firewood campaign is that everyone has a role to play in slowing the spread of invasive tree killing insects and diseases, through making better informed firewood choices. For more information on how you can do your part, please see Frequently Asked Questions.

      • Firewood Month Toolkit -- During Firewood Month (October), reduce firewood movement to slow the spread of forest pests and diseases via the firewood pathway.
      • Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Weed Toolkit -- During Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week (May 22-28, 2023) everyone is encouraged to take a few minutes to learn about the signs and symptoms of emerald ash borer infestation on ash trees so that the infestations can be better managed by local tree professionals and foresters.
  • The Emerald Ash Borer, EAB in the United States - A Story Map by USDA

    • USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    • 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.
      See also: APHIS Interactive Maps to explore plant and animal health or wildlife damage management data and an index of APHIS Maps

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Quarantine

Videos

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

Council or Task Force
Partnership
Federal Government
International Government
State and Local Government
Academic
Citations