- Adult emerald ash borers are identified by their dark, brassy color with metallic green wings. These insects measure typically 1/2 inch in length. The eggs of emerald ash borers take one to two weeks to hatch. The larvae are flat, cream-colored and segmented. They bare a pair of brown pincers at one end. When fully developed, emerald ash borers are 1 to 1 1/4 inch in length. These insects are active during warmer months, from May to July. The typical life cycle of an emerald ash borer is less than two years.
- Emerald ash borers are native to East Asia, specifically to China. Since the discovery of the emerald ash borer in the U.S., the insect has spread to Wisconsin, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania. Emerald ash borers are responsible for the death of over 40 million trees since their discovery in 2002, according to Reuters.
- Emerald ash borers leave distinctive marks underneath tree bark. These marks are tunnels dug by the insect. The S-shaped tunnels eventually lead to the death of the upper third of the tree. After three to four years, the tree dies. The bark of the tree peels back, exposing the tunnels, D-shaped exit holes of new adult emerald ash borers and splitting of the tree due to larval feeding.
According to then Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell in 2009, the emerald ash borers were a threat to Pennsylvania's economy and environment, especially the hardwood industry. The state has since taken measures to protect the more than 323 million ash trees located in Pennsylvania. - Any sightings of emerald ash borers or infected trees should be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's free hotline at 1-866-253-7189. State residents are cautioned to avoid purchasing and transporting infected firewood in quarantined areas of the state, specifically in western counties.