Emerald ash borer found in West Chicago

After a local arborist discovered emerald ash borer infestation in West Chicago, the city is asking residents to help by monitoring their own trees.

Ash trees in the parkway on Ann Street were discovered by Phil Graf, a certified arborist who owns a local tree care company. Graf notified the city, and state officials recently confirmed the beetles' presence in four trees.

Public Works Director Rob Flatter said it was "just a matter of time" before the pest made its way to the city, as infestations were found in Carol Stream and St. Charles. Public works employees had been monitoring ash trees on the southwest and northwest sections of West Chicago, and officials say they will continue to look for spread of the pest so trees can be properly removed.

City spokeswoman Krista Coltrin said officials do not have exact counts of how many ash trees are in the city, or final estimates on how much it will cost to remove infested trees; removal costs vary by the size of the tree.

But the city hopes residents will be proactive in monitoring ash trees on their private property. Evidence of the borer may include D-shaped holes made by adult beetles exiting the tree and excessive woodpecker damage.

The beetle, native to Asia, lays eggs in the bark crevices. Larvae bore through the bark and feed on the tree's vascular system, disrupting the flow of water and nutrients to branches, eventually killing the tree.

If the city finds an infested tree on private property - or if residents notice an infestation in their own trees - the owner is responsible for tree removal. Coltrin said residents should get estimates before hiring a company for removal.

In addition, if you find evidence of the pest in West Chicago, call the public works department at (630) 293-2255. For more details, visit the Illinois Department of Agriculture Web site at agr.state.il.us/eab.