The emerald ash borer arrived in Baltimore last summer, threatening thousands of trees across the region. But many still don't know what they can do to fight the invasive pests.
An event Thursday at Cylburn Arboretum seeks to change that. Experts will speak from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the arboretum's Vollmer Center, 4915 Greenspring Ave.
Deborah McCullough, an entomology professor at Michigan State University and an ash borer expert, will speak about the insects. She will be joined by Kimberly A. Rice, an entomologist at the Maryland Department of Agriculture who is coordinating statewide surveys for the ash borers; Baltimore City Arborist Eric Dihle; and Gary Letteron, an urban forester.
The insects are thought to have arrived from Asia in wood packing material, and Maryland was the third state in which they were detected, in 2003, according to the Baltimore Tree Trust. They threaten to kill more than 200,000 ash trees in Baltimore -- or nearly 9 percent of the city's tree canopy.
But those wishing to save ash trees on their properties can treat them. The experts will explain how to spot the penny-sized bugs and how to properly treat trees.
Treatment, which involves injecting chemicals into a tree's trunk, spraying them on the bark or applying them to the ground around the tree, can cost up to $200 depending on the method used and the size of the tree.