Invasive pest arrives in northern Kansas county
The Kansas Forest Service and Kansas Department of Agriculture confirm that emerald ash borer (EAB) beetles have spread to Marshall County. This marks the 19th county to show signs of emerald ash borer activity in Kansas.
KFS officials found a live larva on a tree to the north of Marysville recently. Forest Health Coordinator Shad Hufnagel said the KFS uses traps to capture the beetles and identify where they have spread to.
“One of the primary ways EAB moves into new areas is through the human movement of wood products such as brush and firewood,” Hufnagel said. “It’s possible that the insect has naturally dispersed into the area as it seeks new host trees, but it is also highly likely that it caught a free ride into the area on material from surrounding locations.”
EAB is an exotic and invasive beetle that comes from eastern Russia and northeastern Asia. The beetles target North American ash tree species and pose a large threat to the health of local forests. The beetles have been confirmed in the following Kansas counties as of October 2025:
Hufnagel said people can recognize the signs of emerald ash borer activity in their ash trees by keeping an eye out for thinning canopies and small “D” shaped holes. Trees that have the beetles within them will decline in health over the course of several years.
“There are different management and mitigation strategies that can be employed when dealing with infestations of EAB including tree removal, chemical protection, and simply waiting for mass mortality,” Hufnagel said. “It is important to note, however, that infested ash trees will decline and eventually die. Along with that comes heightened concern for those trees becoming hazardous.”
You can learn more about emerald ash borers in Kansas by visiting the KFS website. You can find a list of arborists who can help with the treatment and removal of ash trees by clicking here.
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