The emerald ash borer has moved through Kitchener, and most of the ash trees that were here are already gone. What remains standing is usually dead or dying, and a dead ash becomes brittle fast. I assess whether treatment still makes sense or whether the tree needs to come down while it is safe to climb. There is no charge for me to come look at what you have.
What emerald ash borer actually involves in Pioneer Park
The emerald ash borer is a small beetle, metallic green, about the size of a grain of rice. It came from Asia and has spread across North America over the past two decades. The adult insect lays eggs in the bark crevices of ash trees. When the larvae hatch, they tunnel under the bark and feed on the phloem and sapwood, the living tissue that moves water and nutrients through the tree. A single ash tree can host thousands of these larvae in a single season.
The damage is invisible at first. You will not see the beetle itself. What you see are the signs it leaves behind: D-shaped exit holes about the size of a match head where the adult beetles emerge, serpentine galleries under the bark where the larvae have fed, and canopy dieback that starts at the top and works downward. Once the inner bark is extensively tunneled, the tree cannot move water upward, and it dies.
Why it matters
An infested ash tree will die within two to four years of the first visible symptoms. A dead tree is a liability on your property. The wood loses its strength and becomes brittle. Branches break under their own weight or in wind. If the tree stands near a house, a shed, a driveway or power lines, a falling branch or the whole tree coming down creates a hazard and an expense.
The reason I come to assess your ash tree is to tell you honestly whether treatment is worth pursuing or whether removal is the safer choice. A tree that is already dead or nearly dead does not respond to treatment, and waiting two more years while it gets weaker makes the removal harder and more dangerous. I look at the crown, the bark, and the exit holes. If the tree has lost more than half its canopy or the bark is extensively tunneled, treatment will not save it. Taking it down while I can still climb it safely and the wood is sound enough to work with makes sense.
When to schedule emerald ash borer in Kitchener
Emerald ash borer activity is most visible in late spring and summer. The adult beetles emerge from the tree starting in May and June, and that is when you will see the D-shaped exit holes most clearly. The canopy damage becomes more obvious through the growing season. If you have ash trees on your property, now is the time to walk around them and look for these signs.
The symptoms of infestation include crown dieback starting at the top of the tree and working downward, thinning foliage, sprouting of epicormic shoots (small branches growing directly from the main trunk), and woodpecker damage. Woodpeckers feed on the larvae under the bark and will peck at the trunk and branches, leaving rectangular holes and strips of missing bark. If you see these signs, do not wait. The longer the infestation goes untreated, the weaker the tree becomes and the narrower your options.
How it works
Call me at (548) 490-0621 and describe what you see on your ash trees. I will ask you about the location of the tree, how much canopy it has lost, whether you have seen exit holes or woodpecker damage, and what is around it. Based on that conversation, I will come out to your property for a free assessment. I do not charge to look and to tell you what I think.
When I arrive, I climb the tree if it is safe to do so, or I use binoculars to inspect the crown and bark from the ground. I look for the signs of active infestation and for the extent of the damage. I will tell you whether the tree can be treated, whether removal is the better choice, or whether it is already dead and needs to come down. If treatment is viable and you want to proceed, I will provide a free Estimate outlining what the work involves and what to expect. If the tree needs to come out, I will remove it, chip the branches, and clear the site. I haul away all the wood unless you want to keep it for firewood.
The situations I run into in the Kitchener area
The tree is infested but still has a full or nearly full canopy. This is the rare case in Kitchener now, because the borer has been through here for years. If the tree still has most of its leaves and the infestation is caught early, treatment with an insecticide injection is possible. I inject the product into the trunk, and it moves through the vascular system to protect the phloem. This works best on trees that are not yet stressed. Treatment is not guaranteed, and the tree will need monitoring, but it can extend the life of the tree by several years.
The tree has lost a significant portion of its canopy and shows multiple signs of infestation. This is the most common case. The tree is weakened, and treatment is unlikely to save it. Removal is the right choice. The wood is still sound enough to climb and fell safely, and the work can be done without excessive risk.
The tree is dead or nearly dead, with little to no foliage. A dead ash is brittle and dangerous. I will remove it, but the work is more difficult and more expensive because the wood is unpredictable. A dead ash that has been standing for two or three years can snap during the removal process or shed large pieces. This is why I recommend removal while the tree still has some structural integrity.
Do not plant another ash tree. The emerald ash borer is established in the area, and any ash you plant will eventually be infested. Choose a different species. Maple, oak, birch, or spruce are good alternatives, depending on your soil and light. I can advise you on what will grow well on your property.
