Multitudes of Wisconsin Trees Suddenly at Risk from Invasive Pest

A difficult year for trees in Wisconsin just became more challenging. There are new reports that a vicious invasive tree-killing beetle in Wisconsin that is putting millions of trees in the state at risk.

This new update from the USDA Invasive Species Information Center warns of a bug that isn't supposed to be in Wisconsin, but is and it's causing incredible damage. It's the infamous Emerald Ash Borer and there are more than 200 reports in Wisconsin alone.

This report from a Wisconsin TV station says that the Emerald Ash Borer has now been reported in all Wisconsin counties except for one.

How can you tell if a tree in Wisconsin is being attacked by the Emerald Ash Borer?

The University of Wisconsin provides some guidelines and things to look for in trees near you that would be evidence of the presence of Emerald Ash Borers. They say to look for the following:

• D-Shaped Exit Holes
• S-Shaped Galleries & Splitting Bark

They note that Emerald Ash Borer exit holes can be oval, too, but any exits like this are evidence that the tree is in danger.

This nasty invasive beetle is native to parts of Asia, but not North America. But, that hasn't stopped it from causing incredible damage to forests across Wisconsin and other parts of America now.