Five more Iowa counties are now confirmed to have emerald ash borer (EAB) infestations, putting the total at 50 of the 99 counties in the state which have the destructive pest. Iowa Department of Agriculture E-A-B co-ordinator, Mike Kitner says the insect that kills ash trees is now confirmed in Benton, Buena Vista, Floyd, Howard and Warren County. Although it’s been making its way across the state for the last seven years, Kitner says people haven’t seemed to become complacent about watching for new infestations.
Kitner expects the remaining 44 counties which haven’t confirmed an infestation yet will be on the look out for the signs in their ash trees.
Moving firewood is the fastest way for the beetle to spread from one area of the state to another.
