Insect & Disease Conditions Update
Emerald ash borer (EAB) is spreading within Maine (www.maine.gov/eab). If you want to help monitor for emerald ash borer in your area, now is the time to girdle an ash trap tree.
To create a trap tree, peel the bark off all the way around the tree. This will slowly kill the tree. The tree stays alive throughout this growing season, but is stressed, causing it to release scents into the air which make it attractive to EAB in the area. If present, EAB are more likely to come to this tree, rather than a random ash tree. A trap tree does NOT draw EAB into an area but may help protect other ash in the immediate area.
If you register your tree with the Maine Forest Service, you will receive information in the fall or early winter on how to fell and section trap trees. It is highly recommended that volunteers who girdle a tree participate in one of the Maine Forest Service log-peeling workshops. There, expert guidance will be available during the sampling process.
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- Any species of ash (Fraxinus spp.) can be used (not mountain ash).
- Trees that have at least one side open to sunlight such as those at the edge of road, field or stream, or are above the canopy, are much more attractive to EAB and make better trap trees.
- Tree should be healthy prior to girdling.
- Tree stem should be 4 to 10 inches diameter at about 4.5 feet from ground level. Larger trees can be used but are more work to process.
- A short video and full instructions on how to girdle a tree are available on our website.
- Peel an 8- to 10-inch section of bark from the lower stem.
- Peel to the sapwood between mid-May and mid-June. At this time of year, the bark will slip away from the sapwood easily. When this happens, you know you have peeled deep enough.
- Young, vigorous ash will sometimes callus over the girdle, this reduces the stress and the tree’s attractiveness to EAB. Therefore, make sure the girdle is clean, and is at least 10-12 inches tall all the way around the trunk.
- Use a drawknife or other precision tool to perform the cuts for girdling.
- Be careful not to cut into the sapwood. Once the bark peels away, do not cut any deeper. If you cut into the sapwood, you will disrupt the cells that transport water. This can cause the tree to die too quickly and it will no longer attract EAB.
- An alternative to the drawknife is a pruning saw or other tool to make two parallel cuts 10-12-inches apart. Then use a chisel or other tool to remove the bark between the cuts. A chainsaw is not recommended because it can be difficult to avoid damaging the sapwood.
Please use this on-line form to register your ash trap tree in Maine with the Maine Forest Service. You can also reach out at forestinfo@maine.gov or (207) 287-2431 if you have trouble with the form, if you have any questions about selecting or girdling a tree, or if you need assistance. Thank you for your participation. Your data will help us respond to EAB.
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