The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, attacks and kills ash trees and has left a swath of destruction across five provinces and 34 states since first being discovered in 2002 in Windsor, Ont., where experts believe it hitchhiked aboard imported wood pallets from Asia.
And it is expected to spread. The metallic-emerald-green coloured insect with a bullet-shaped body is a notorious hitchhiker via firewood, ash chips and branches. The winged pests can also fly up to 10 kilometres. The council’s Buy Local Burn Local practice is one of the best defences in reducing the spread of invasive insects. The idea is that campers should buy firewood at or near their destination to ensure they are not introducing pests or diseases to the area. If they have firewood left over, it’s recommended they leave it.The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said the pest poses no threats to human health and is not known to attack softwood lumber species such as pine and spruce.
Camille Morales, an insect ambassador at the Invasive Species Council of B.C., said people should watch for symptoms of ash tree decline, keeping an eye out for yellowing leaves, thinning crown foliage, dead branches and new shoots sprouting from the tree’s trunk.