Emerald ash borer infestation has spread to Lyons in Boulder County
The emerald ash borer, an invasive and destructive tree pest that has ravaged forest across the Midwest and Canada, has been detected in Lyons.
The insect’s arrival in Colorado was confirmed when it was discovered in Boulder in 2013. Since then, it has been found in Longmont, Lafayette and Gunbarrel.
An ash tree infested with emerald ash borer typically dies within two to four years, according to a Colorado State Forest Service news release.
It usually takes between six and eight years for a community to hit the peak of the emerald ash borer death curve, meaning ash trees will die in exponentially higher numbers and peak in roughly eight years.
The infected tree in Lyons was identified by an arborist working on private property near Fourth Avenue and Broadway. The property manager notified members of the interagency Colorado EAB Response Team. An adult beetle found in the Lyons tree was provided to the Colorado Department of Agriculture and confirmed as an emerald ash borer beetle, according to the news release.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture established a quarantine zone around Boulder County in 2013 to stop the human-aided spread of emerald ash borer. The insects can fly a half-mile per year on their own, but can also travel in transported firewood.
According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the Denver metro area has an estimated 1.45 million ash trees, or one in every six trees in the city. The metallic green insect has decimated ash trees in Canada and the Midwest, inflicting billions of dollars in damages in just 15 years. A report from the Colorado State Forest Service estimates that the economic damage to metro Denver alone could total $82 million.
If you think your tree could have emerald ash borer, or have general questions, contact the Colorado Department of Agriculture at 888-248-5535, email Caps.program@state.co.us or visit the EAB Identification and Reporting page at 1.usa.gov/22f2ucd.