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Posted: Sunday, 19 July 2009 11:52AM
Emerald ash borer found in Frankfort
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FRANKFORT (STNG) -- The emerald ash borer has made its way into southwest suburban Frankfort, according to officials with the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
It's the first sign of this aggressive insect in the Lincoln-Way area and only the second infestation recorded in Will County.
Ron Barr, of Barr Tree Care in New Lenox, spotted telltale D-shaped holes while discussing tree maintenance Wednesday with Bill Meyer, president of the Walnut Creek Townhome Association. Barr contacted agriculture department staff who came out and confirmed it Thursday.
The ash borer has been discovered in Homewood, Markham, Hazel Crest and Country Club Hills and was "moving west," Barr said. "It was just a matter of finding it. You can expect to find it within 15 miles of an affected tree." Once a tree is infested, it cannot recover, he said.
Meyer said he was "surprised" it was in his neighborhood. The 25-foot tall tree was planted on private property on Torrey Court three years ago. "We'll definitely have it removed," he said.
Paul Deizman, manager of the state's emerald ash borer program, said he was not surprised to find the little bug in Frankfort. "When we find a bug, we assume everything is infested," he said. Although agriculture officials did not find widespread evidence in the village, Deizman said "it will be widespread, by the very nature of the bug."
The only other emerald ash borer to be verified in Will County was in Naperville, in the northwest corner of the county, Deizman said.
Frankfort's assistant village administrator Howard Sloan said Friday nothing about this had been reported to him.
Deizman said Frankfort has an arborist on staff who is well-educated on the emerald ash borer.
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Copyright 2009 STNG Wire, The Chicago Sun-Times. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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