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InsightHorizon Digest

How much does borer treatment cost

Author

Isabella Harris

Updated on April 23, 2026

The cost of EAB treatment depends on the size of the tree. As an example, if your tree is 14 inches in diameter, the cost of trunk injections can be between $150-$175. In contrast, it can cost up to $2,000 to remove an Ash tree, so treatment is a worthwhile investment.

How much does it cost to treat ash borer?

An average cost of treatment is approximately $11.00 per DBH. Dose rate of formulation and cost are determined by your tree’s diameter at breast height (DBH). Starting at 4½’ up from the base of the tree, measure the circumference of the tree’s trunk in inches with a measuring tape.

Does ash borer treatment work?

When applied correctly, EAB treatment is 85 to 95 percent effective. EAB treatment works to save trees in your yards and your city. For example, when EAB was detected in Naperville, IL, they treated their trees. Three years later, more than 90 percent of the treated ash trees show no signs of infestation.

What is the cost of dealing with the emerald ash borer?

Responses to the infestation include treatment, removal, and replacement of more than 17 million ash trees at an estimated cost of $10.7 billion.

What is the best treatment for emerald ash borer?

Most of the products available to homeowners are systemic insecticides containing imidacloprid and are applied as soil drenches around the base of an ash tree. A few granular products are also available. Recent university research suggests that applications of imidacloprid should be made in spring to be most effective.

How much do ash tree injections cost?

The cost of EAB treatment depends on the size of the tree. As an example, if your tree is 14 inches in diameter, the cost of trunk injections can be between $150-$175. In contrast, it can cost up to $2,000 to remove an Ash tree, so treatment is a worthwhile investment.

How much does a tree injection cost?

The cost of tree injection treatment to cities is approximately $53 per 17 inch diameter tree for two years of protection. The cost of removing and replacing that same tree is about 18 times that or $750 – $1000.

Is the ash borer gone?

Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. As of October 2018, it is now found in 35 states, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.

Can I treat my ash tree myself?

Homeowner do it yourself (DIY) treatment for emerald ash borer can be done with Chemjet Tree Injectors. … Pesticides can be used for emerald ash borer treatment to save ash trees. Proactive management is necessary to combat the emerald ash borer to avoid infestation and death of healthy ash trees.

How much damage has the emerald ash borer caused?

Ash trees are one of the most valuable and abundant North American woodland trees: estimates of total number of ash trees in the United States alone range between seven and nine billion. The emerald ash borer has destroyed 40 million ash trees in Michigan alone and tens of millions throughout other states and Canada.

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Is it too late to save my ash tree?

By the time an ash tree shows obvious damage, it is usually too late to treat for EAB. However, preventive treatment can protect and save your ash tree. Early fall coloration. … Decline in entire groups of ash trees.

How long will I have to treat my ash tree?

Treatments are not a one-time occurrence. They do not immunize the tree for life. Ash trees to be saved will likely need to be treated every one to two years, depending on the type of treatment.

Are dead ash trees good for lumber?

Ash is a great species of lumber to work with. Ash is known for its staining potential and ability to mimic oak. It has great shock resistance, and solid workability. To this point, it has been an economical wood that was always readily available.

Can you spray for emerald ash borer?

Dinotefuran is highly water soluble and moves rapidly in plants. It is the only emerald ash borer insecticide that can be applied as a spray on the bark, which can then move into the plant and move systemically.

How do you stop ash borers?

Homeowners can protect ash trees against EAB with the systemic insecticide imidacloprid, applied to the soil at the base of the tree. It is most effective when applied in spring but can also be applied in fall. It is less effective on trees over 50 inches in circumference.

How do you treat trees with emerald ash borer?

What treatment options are there for emerald ash borers? There are four EAB treatment options: soil injection, trunk injection, bark spray or canopy spray. Used most often, soil and trunk injections get to the root of the problem by targeting the borers tunneling inside the tree.

How long does it take for tree injections to work?

An effective amount of product begins adhering to the tree and working within 15 minutes of it being applied. Drying also begins within 15 minutes of product being applied.

When Should ash trees be treated for emerald ash borer?

We treat our client’s ash trees using a trunk injection containing Emamectin Benzoate. This treatment process usually begins in late June or early July depending on the weather. According to university research, most EAB larvae begin actively feeding in ash trees around mid-July in this part of the country.

How do you know if emerald ash borer is damaged?

Signs of infestation include thinning and yellowing leaves, D-shaped holes in the bark, and canopy and bark loss. Scientists are working to find ways to stop the beetle. It’s been proven that efforts to save trees can be improved by identifying infested trees in their first year.

What can I do with ash borer Wood?

Burn The Wood You could use the wood as bonfire wood or simply burn it to dispose of it. Before you do, make sure you follow all burn laws in your area. Firewood that has been created with an ash tree with EAB should stay as close to the original site as possible to prevent the spread of EAB to other areas.

Do ash borers eat other trees?

Does the emerald ash borer affect other trees? In rare cases, EAB has been found on other trees, such as fringe trees, but EAB mostly feeds on ash trees. In its early stages, EAB tunnels into trees and feeds on the area just underneath tree bark. As adults, the pests eat ash tree leaves.

Should dead ash trees be removed?

If your dead tree is located in a yard or along a street, it will likely pose a hazard over time and should be removed immediately. However, if one of your dead trees is within a woodlot, it is much less likely to pose a danger to you or your family.

Where did the ash borer come from?

Where did the emerald ash borer come from? The natural range of Agrilus planipennis, or the emerald ash borer, is eastern Russia, northern China, Japan, and Korea. Before June of 2002, it had never been found in North America.

What eats emerald ash borer?

Woodpeckers love to eat emerald ash borer larvae, and heavy woodpecker damage on ash trees may also be a sign of infestation.

How many eggs can a female emerald ash borer lay?

An “average” female may lay from 60 to 100 eggs during her lifespan, placing the eggs singly in bark crevices or under bark flaps on the trunk or branches (some long-lived females may lay more than 200 eggs). Eggs hatch in 7 to 10 days.

How did emerald ash borer get to Ohio?

Scientists believe that the insect came to the U.S. via contaminated solid ash wood packing material carried on cargo ships or airplanes in the 1990s from EAB-native Asian countries such as China, Japan, Russia, and Korea.

Are dead ash trees worth money?

Although Ash is not the most valuable hardwood by any stretch, prices for standing Ash timber as well as cut Ash lumber have crept up and will likely to continue to do so as supplies dwindle further.

How can you tell if a ash tree has ash borer?

  1. Bark flecking in the upper branches of tree. The flecking (light patches) may be caused by woodpeckers feeding on EAB and other insect larva.
  2. Severe die-back of tree’s upper branches. …
  3. Bark cracks.

How often should ash trees be treated for ash borer?

Some products are applied annually, while others are applied every two or three years. Check the credentials and pesticide applicator certification of any business you hire to treat your ash trees. Unprotected ash that are dead or declining from EAB are often structurally weakened and present a safety hazard.

Do emerald ash borers live in dead wood?

Do emerald ash borers live in dead wood? If borers were in the tree when you had it removed, there’s a good chance they’re still there. So, assume EAB is in dead wood. Don’t transport it farther than 50 miles from where it was cut because the emerald ash borers could infest a whole new area.

What does ash lumber look like?

Ash is a light colored, smooth-grained hardwood that grows throughout the east coast and parts of Canada. With its typical straight grain and beige-to-light-brown hue, ash wood is a very attractive option for fine furniture.