How To Combat Emerald Ash Borer In Arvada: VIDEO

ARVADA, CO — The City of Arvada has released a video that shows residents how they can help combat the spread of the emerald ash borer, which attacks and kills ash trees. The city announced the discovery of the insect within municipal borders Thursday.

Around 97,000 ash trees on both private and public land in Arvada could eventually be affected by the insect, city officials said.

The video offers tips for detecting the insect in local trees and explains what actions to take:

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Emerald ash borer was first detected in Colorado in 2013, and Arvada officials have been planning for the infestation since then, the city said. Over the past several years, forestry staff have completed an inventory of the size, location and health of all 1,500 ash trees on Arvada public property. The city has come up with resources to fight the insect on ash trees in city parks and other public land, officials said.

It's unknown whether the insect arrived in Arvada by natural spread or through accidental human transport, such as in firewood or other raw ash material, officials said. Populations of the insect are capable of spreading a half-mile each year on their own.

Emerald ash borer is a non-native, wood-boring beetle that is responsible for the death or decline of tens of millions of ash trees in the United States and Canada. The insect was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, and since then it has spread to at least 35 states, including Colorado. As a non-native insect, emerald ash borer lacks predators to keep it in check. The beetle only attacks ash trees in the genus Fraxinus, but has also been documented infesting white fringe trees. Mountain ash and other tree species are not susceptible.

Emerald ash borer was first confirmed in Colorado in 2013 in Boulder. Since then, the insect has spread to other nearby cities including Westminster, Longmont, Broomfield and now Arvada.

>> More information about the city's management plan for the emerald ash borer can be found here.