Emerald Ash Borer found in Carlton, Lake counties

By Paul Vold kkin@rjbroadcasting.com (4/26/22)

(Northern Minnesota) —The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Carlton and Lake counties for the first time. 

In Lakes County, a staff member of the Superior Hiking Trail Association noticed insect and woodpecker damage to an ash tree along a trail in Two Harbors, to which MDA staff were able to find live EAB larvae and collect samples.

MDA staff also noticed a tree in Cloquet with extensive woodpecker damage and also found live EAB larvae that were collected for official identification.

The MDA has begun enacting emergency quarantines which limit the movement of firewood and ash materials out of the areas. The quarantine will cover the northeast corner of Carlton County, from the Fond du Lac Reservation on the west to the county line on the east, and the Carlton/St Louis County line on the north to Highway 210, and the border of Jay Cooke State Park on the south.

Emerald Ash Borer larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk.

A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Carlton and Lake counties will be held on Monday, May 9th from 10-11am. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session and the public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add the Carlton and Lake County quarantines to the state’s formal quarantine.