On August 9th, USDA-APHIS announced the expansion of the
regulated area for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Virginia to
include the entire state, following a Virginia Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services decision to place all counties
and independent cities of the Commonwealth under EAB quarantine.
This decision came after EAB was confirmed from 19 of Virginia’s
95 counties. The pest was first discovered in Fairfax County, VA
in 2003 but was thought to be eradicated. It was rediscovered in
Fairfax County in 2008. EAB is an invasive wood boring beetle
that attacks ash trees (genus Fraxinus). The larvae enter
through the bark and create galleries that disrupt the flow of
food and water in the tree. After sufficient infestation the
tree eventually dies. The beetle is native to China and eastern
Asia and is thought to have entered the U.S. through infested
wooden pallets. Long distance movement of firewood from
quarantine areas poses the highest risk of spreading EAB. Click
the following links for more info