Five years ago moving into a new city I'd never heard of the Emerald Ash Borer let alone thought of this beetle becoming my problem. Looking at several houses in Canton we located one we knew was the house for us with a large kitchen and nice back yard with eleven trees seven of which were fairly large. The thought of having these trees shade our home was appealing and one of the things that sold us on the home.
It was late winter so most of the trees were bare which of course we didn't think twice about. However as the warmer months approached we noticed the neighbors trees were starting to bud except for a few here and there and seven ash trees in our yard. Finally as spring arrived I realized there was a problem with our trees but still had no idea what an Emerald Ash Borer was. I examined the trees closely and saw several bare spots with squiggly lines running along the surface and went on-line for a Google search. What I found out was my area was being invaded by an insect apparently imported from Asia in wooden packing crates. The insect in the larvae stage cause the damage resulting in the death of the trees. Driving around my town there are wooded areas completely ruined with trees bare and falling over.
Unfortunately all seven ash trees in my back had to be cut down as I feared they might eventually fall on my house. Perhaps had I know about the condition of these trees I would have continued to look at other homes but what's done is done.
Information about the Emerald Ash Borer can be found at http://www.emeraldashborer.info/
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