[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Minnesota Department of Agriculture identifies emerald ash borer in the city of Duluth[/title][fusion_text]Friday, October 23rd 2015
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture today identified emerald ash borer in the city of Duluth. MDA staff found EAB larvae in an ash trees on Park Point. The find was discovered as part of a three-year study the MDA is conducting in partnership with the city. The study is evaluating different methods for finding EAB, and one of those methods is removing samples of branches from ash trees to peel back the bark and look for signs of the insect. MDA staff found evidence of EAB in four of 35 trees sampled in this way. “This area has been a focus of ours for several years, ever since the discovery of EAB just across the border in Superior, Wisconsin in August 2013,” said MDA Entomologist Mark Abrahamson. “Now that we have found the insect, we can work with our partners in the city of Duluth and St. Louis County, and residents and businesses to take measures to slow its spread in the northern part of the state.” Because this is the first time that EAB has been identified in St. Louis County, the specimen have been sent to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for confirmation, which is expected within days. Due to the unique location of the find, the MDA will be implementing an emergency state quarantine of Park Point in Duluth. A quarantine is designed to help prevent EAB from spreading outside of a known infested area by limiting the movement of any items that may harbor EAB, including ash trees and ash tree limbs, as well as all hardwood firewood. Currently 11 counties in Minnesota are under quarantine to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer.
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