Dear Emerald Ash Borer: Make Like a Tree

Back in 2002 in Michigan, entomologists and arborists began finding a beetle native to Asia emerging from the state’s trees—and the beetles were not welcome guests. The emerald ash borer, whose larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, renders the trees incapable of transporting water and nutrients, and dying as a result. Since 2003, the ash borer has made its way to Ohio and other nearby states, killing millions of Midwest trees along the way. Last year, local amateur arborists verified that the ash borer has invaded Granville. They, along with Denison’s Tree and Landscape Advisory Committee, are watching the more than 50 ash trees on campus for the telltale D-shape left behind in the bark when the adult beetle makes its way out of the ash in the spring. It’s distressing news for a campus that has just established itself as an expanding arboretum to document, protect, and learn from Denison’s 3,000-plus trees.