MAPLE CITY -- Certified arborist Tom Deering may try out a new pesticide approved by state officials to combat emerald ash borer beetles.
Deering, of Maple City, receives plenty of calls from people worried about EAB infestations in their favorite ash trees, a legitimate concern with infestations documented in every county in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. But he wants to test the new chemical before recommending it to his clients in Benzie, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.
"I might try it, but I don't want to sell somebody something that might work," Deering said.
The state approved the use of emamectin benzoate this month and officials expect arborists and other certified pesticide applicators to begin using what's expected to be a costly method to save treasured ash trees. It's also designed as a preventative measure, officials said.
"It's injected into the tree, so the pesticide is not in contact with the ground. It's not sprayed, so there are no drift issues. It's drawn into the vascular system of the tree and into the leaves," said Jim Bowes, enforcement officer with the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
That means it's safe to use in residential lawns, where children and pets may come into contact with treated trees, he said.
When EAB beetles eat the leaves on a treated tree, they ingest the poison and die. Also, pupae in the bark of treated trees won't hatch, Bowes said.
"But there is no risk for birds or squirrels or butterflies that use or land on the tree," he said.
Best results will come when a tree is treated while it's still healthy or in early stages of infestation, because the product will not restore damaged vascular areas, Bowes said.
EAB beetles feed on tissues that move nutrients into a tree, before emerging through the bark.
Researcher Deborah McCullough, a professor of entomology and forestry at Michigan State University, saw dramatic results from the first year of independent testing done there with the EAB pesticide.
"We only have one year worth of data, although we've been studying other products for five years and have never before seen this effectiveness," she said.
Research on emamectin benzoate will continue, McCullough said.
The chemical can only be handled by licensed professionals and certified applicators can now place orders, although it will not be available until next month.
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