Sad Day for an Old Friend

Last night I learned at our hort society meeting that the Emerald Ash Borer has arrived in Oakville. Our former horticultural society president said that one of her own trees has been identified by the town and is now part of the "experimental treatment trial" to combat these insects. Originally from Asia, the Emerald Ash Borers were thought to have travelled here in packing crates and then spread within the North American continent on their own wing and also by the movement of firewood. At first when it was discovered that they were in the London Ontario area, thousands of trees for miles around were clear cut to provide a buffer zone that was supposed to stop these insects in their path - no food, no bugs. No dice apparently.

The Emerald Ash Borer is a very tiny insect - its name comes from its pretty green colour. It will feed and lay its eggs on your ash tree & you'll be none the wiser, until you notice its decline. By that time, the cambian of the tree has been destroyed by the feasting of the hatched creatures.

So today, I'm posting photos of my dear old Ash tree that I took this a.m. It's my only "needs two people to hug it tree" on the property - and you can see that because of the rain, now the Eastern White Pine, the neighbour's Beech and the Ash all touch. You can also see there's a bit of balding along some of the old branches...the beginning of the end? Poor old tree.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/pestrava/agrpla/agrplae.shtml