Ash borer found in Huntley

It was only a matter of time.

Huntley today reported the village's first confirmed emerald ash borer infestation, becoming at least the 15th Chicago-area town to report an infestation in the past year.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture confirmed the infestation on Friday at Horseshoe Trail and Oak Grove Drive, in Del Webb's Sun City.

The village's public works staff removed the infested tree this afternoon.

But it's likely the ash borer, a metallic-green beetle hailing from Asia, has already infested other trees in Huntley -- and the village's public works director expects the beetle to eventually reach all the village's ash trees.

"It's just something we have to deal with," Public Works Director Jim Schwartz said. "It's unfortunate. It's nature."

An estimated one-third of the village's new trees are ash trees, Schwartz said. Huntley will conduct a survey to determine the number and location of ash trees throughout the village, then create a plan to replace trees on village land.

"We don't plan on taking them down unless we've confirmed an emerald ash borer infestation," Schwartz said. "It could be a 10- to 20-year process."

Depending on the size of the tree, it could cost the village $200 to $1,000 to replace each infested tree, Schwartz estimated.

The invasive pest decimated Michigan's ash trees in 2002 and has spread to other states in the eastern United States and southern Canada, killing more than 20 million ash trees.

The emerald ash borer has been found throughout the suburbs, with confirmed infestations in Chicago, the North Shore, the south suburbs, DuPage County, the Tri-Cities, South Elgin and Algonquin.

Residents who suspect an ash tree on their property has become infested should call Huntley's Public Works Department at (847) 669-3450.

Public works staff will help residents determine if an ash tree on private property is infested, but residents will assume the cost if they choose to remove an infested tree.

Homeowners should notify the village if they decide to remove an ash tree to make sure the trees are properly removed.

Signs of an emerald ash borer infestation include D-shaped exit holes, shoots emerging from tree trunks and dead foliage at the top of trees.

Homeowners can treat infested ash trees with costly chemicals, but experts say removing the tree is the only surefire way to slow the spread of the insect.

"The only way to stop the bugs is to take the trees down," Schwartz said.