KTS Approach

Our philosophy and ethics have not wavered since our beginning in 1974. As a family-owned business, our goal is to empower you to be the caretaker of your trees so that they may be enjoyed by you and future generations while existing as an essential benefit to our environment.

As a leader in the industry, we offer complete professional tree care with twelve Certified Arborists and one Board-Certified Master Arborist on staff. For all aspects of tree care, contact the tree care professionals….

It is our objective to provide the knowledge, experience and skill, which will enable you to make informed decisions regarding the care of your trees.

In the News...

Emerald Ash Borer

Agrilus planipennis, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), is a small (1/2” long and 1/8” wide) metallic green beetle. Insects in general will attack stressed or weakened trees before they feed on healthy specimens; not the case with EAB. The EAB will feed as readily on healthy, well-maintained ash trees as it does on weakened or stressed trees. EAB was first identified in Michigan in 2002, where it has destroyed over 15 million ash trees. EAB has also been detected in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, Maryland and Ontario, Canada. This borer has been observed only on ash trees. Ash trees are in the Olive Family which includes Blue, European, Green, White and ‘Hessei” Ash. The European Mountain Ash is in the Rose Family and is not a host of the EAB.

Signs and Symptons

An infestation can be difficult to detect until canopy dieback begins. Epicormic branching (shoots coming up from the base of the tree) and lateral bark slits are also symptoms that EAB may be present. D-shaped emergence holes in the trunk or limbs of the tree that are 1/8” across are a reliable sign that EAB is present. 1/8” is very small and very difficult to detect by the untrained eye!

Cause / Conditions

Adult beetles are flying, feeding, mating and laying eggs in May, June, July & August. Eggs hatch into the larva form of the borer 7-10 days after being laid. The larva chew into the inner bark and phloem layer of the tree creating serpentine galleries as they continue to feed on the phloem tissue. This cuts the flow of water and nutrients in the tree causing dieback and death. As the adult beetle emerges from the tree it creates the D-shaped emergence hole and the entire process begins again. An infected tree will be repeatedly infested until it dies.

Management

Initially it was thought that any infected tree had to be removed. With several years of research results now in hand, it is clear that pesticides are a viable alternative for those that wish to save moderately infected or non-infected ash trees. Research indicates the following are viable options:

* Merit (Imidacloprid) soil injections (also called a “drench”) applied at the base of the tree in the fall will offer protection for the following growing season. The more consecutive fall applications made, the higher the level of protection.

* For trees not “drenched” in the fall, a trunk injection of Imidacloprid (Wedgel system) administered after leaf emergence in the spring, typically in the month of April, will offer protection for the current growing season. These trees should receive a soil drench in the fall for protection the following growing season.

* For trees not treated in a timely manner with either two of the above treatments, a spray application of an insecticide in early June and again in early July can help prevent infestation.

There is also a wealth of information available on the Internet. Just go to www.emeraldashborer.info and you can research just about any aspect of this invasive pest. An excellent summary for homeowners is the Emerald Ash Borer Insecticidal Management Entomology Fact Sheet NHE-163 prepared by Philip L. Nixon, Extension Entomologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana. This fact sheet can be found online at: The Morton Arboretum website.