Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Omaha

We keep hearing it in the news and wonder when the Emerald Ash Borer will show up in our front or backyard Ash trees. Although it hasn’t arrived in Nebraska, it is on its way. We must be proactive about tree care and emerald ash borer treatment in Omaha, NE and surrounding areas, or else we will see a catastrophic wipeout of the Ash tree species.

What is Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)?

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a small, wood-boring beetle that can mature to be about half an inch long. One key identifier of the borer is their metallic green color. The Emerald Ash Borer is native to Asia and is originally believed to be brought to the US through infected packing materials in the last 15 years. This beetle is now considered the most destructive pest to be seen in the United States and affects millions of ash trees every year.

How Our Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Works

Our certified arborists use advanced techniques and industry-leading products to give your ash trees the strongest defense against Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).
We use trunk injections that protect your tree in two critical ways:

Stops the larvae from feeding beneath the bark, which disrupts water and nutrient flow.
Kills adult beetles that feed on the leaves before they can reproduce and spread.

This highly targeted method delivers powerful insecticides directly into your tree’s vascular system, ensuring maximum protection with minimal environmental impact. A single treatment can provide up to two years of protection, giving your trees the best chance to stay healthy and vibrant.

How Effective is Emerald Ash Borer Treatment?

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) treatment is essential, as this invasive beetle can cause widespread damage to ash trees.

EAB larvae feed beneath the bark, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients, eventually leading to its death.

One effective EAB treatment method is soil drenching with a systemic insecticide, which is absorbed through the roots and moves throughout the tree.

This treatment can protect ash trees for up to two years. As EAB continues to threaten ash tree populations, timely and effective treatment is necessary to preserve these important trees in urban and natural landscapes.

How is Emerald Ash Borer Spread?

Emerald Ash Borer adults can fly up to half a mile from the tree where they emerged. Originally, the large spread of Emerald Ash Borer started in the nursery. Nurseries had moved infested trees to other areas, which helped spread the beetle. The beetle can also be spread through ash wood, firewood, logs, or any untreated lumber that still has the bark attached. The Emerald Ash Borer can move from tree to tree in a neighborhood, so it is important to know what type of tree you have so you can properly treat it.

EAB Life Cycle

The adult beetles will be present in the spring and can be found until mid-August. The adult Emerald Ash Borers will exit the Ash tree through a “D-shaped” exit hole that can be up to an eighth of an inch.

After the reproduction phase, the females will lay their eggs on the bark of ash trees and the larvae will hatch in the summer.
The larvae will then begin to tunnel into the tree and feed on the phloem. The larvae will create S-shaped indentations under the bark, which prohibits the proper movement of water through the tree.
As the larvae mate, they will hibernate in winter in the sapwood of the tree, pupate in April, and emerge as adults.

What does an infested tree look like?

One of the earliest signs of Emerald Ash Borer is the thinning of the tree’s canopy. As the Emerald Ash Borer invades, the borer begins to destroy the tissues needed to move water and nutrients throughout the tree.

The lack of water and nutrients from the base to the branches will cause the leaves to change color and promote dieback. An EAB infestation can cause half the tree to die within the first year and completely die within the second. Larger trees can be completely taken over in 3-4 years.

How to Tell if I Have an Ash Tree?
Not sure if the tree in your yard is an ash? Here are some easy ways to tell:
• Look for compound leaves made up of multiple leaflets (typically 5 to 9) arranged along a central stem
• Check the leaf and branch arrangement — ash trees have branches and leaves that grow directly opposite each other
• Examine the bark: mature ash trees usually have bark with a ridged or diamond-shaped pattern
• In fall, ash trees often drop clusters of single-winged seeds known as samaras

How to Tell if I Have an Ash Tree?

Physical Signs:

D-shaped exit holes in the bark (about 1/8 inch wide)
S-shaped tunneling visible under loose or removed bark
Small holes throughout the bark where beetles have emerged

Tree Health Changes:

Crown dieback – branches losing leaves and dying from the top down
Thinning of the tree’s canopy
Premature leaf drop or discoloration
Bark splitting or cracking

An EAB infestation can kill half the tree within the first year and completely destroy it within two years. Larger, mature trees may survive 3-4 years before succumbing to the infestation.

What are ways to prevent EAB before it arrives?

We offer a variety of emerald ash borer treatment options in Omaha, NE and surrounding areas to help control infestations. The most common preventative methods we use include trunk injections, soil treatments, and foliage sprays. These treatments are strongly recommended when the Emerald Ash Borer is detected within 15 miles of your home.

Trunk Injections

All of the trunk injection treatments have been shown to be effective. However, the results are directly correlated to the original condition of the tree.

Healthier trees will respond more positively than weaker and more stressed-out trees. One product that I have been using is Tree-age which contains the ingredient Emamectin Benzoate.

Recent studies have shown that this active ingredient will remain effective for 2-3 years, which is longer than most other pesticides (i.e. Imidacloprid).

The Tree-age product is injected about 6-18 inches from the ground and into the base of the tree. It is applied through the Arborjet system, which uses pressure to inject the product into drilled holes in the bark.

This is the only product that is effective when a tree is already infested with EAB.

There is no need to remove a healthy ash tree. Contact us today to learn more about the best treatment options for diseased or dying trees.

Who do I call if I believe my tree has EAB?

If you think the Emerald Ash Borer has invaded your tree, please contact the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 402-471-2351 or USDA APHIS at 402-896-8256. Then contact our team to schedule Emerald Ash Borer treatment in Omaha, NE, and surrounding areas.

When It's Too Late: Tree Removal & Safe Disposal

Unfortunately, not all ash trees can be saved. If an EAB infestation has progressed too far or your tree is severely compromised, removal may be the safest and most practical solution.

Signs Your Ash Tree Cannot Be Saved:

Dieback affecting more than 50% of the canopy
Structural damage or unstable branches posing safety risks
Tree is already dead or dying beyond treatment effectiveness
Complete girdling of the trunk by larvae tunneling

If your ash tree has reached this point, professional tree removal services ensure safe extraction and proper disposal of infested wood. Removing a dead or dying ash tree prevents it from becoming a liability while protecting nearby healthy trees from further EAB spread.

Keep All Your Trees Healthy Year-Round

Emerald Ash Borer isn’t the only threat to your landscape. Tree Services of Omaha offers comprehensive Tree Healthcare services to keep your trees thriving in Omaha’s urban environment.

From nutrient deficiencies and pest infestations to disease management, our certified arborists can assess your property and recommend tailored solutions

Early detection and proactive care are essential for preserving the beauty, safety, and value of your trees.

Learn more about our full range of tree care services.

What Our Customers Are Saying

Tree Services of Omaha proudly serves:

We provide tree services in Omaha, NE, and surrounding communities including: Bellevue, Gretna, Ralston, Bennington, Millard, Elkhorn, La Vista, Papillion, Blair, and Fort Calhoun.