Bell County now marks the furthest south the invasive pest has been confirmed in the U.S.
The presence of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) has been newly confirmed in Jack, Navarro, Somervell, Bell, and Rockwall counties, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Notably, Bell County’s detection marks the southernmost known presence of EAB in the United States—a major milestone in the pest’s expansion and a growing threat to Texas ash tree populations.


🪲 What is Emerald Ash Borer?
The emerald ash borer is a destructive, exotic beetle that infests and kills ash trees by burrowing beneath the bark and cutting off the flow of water and nutrients. Once infested, ash trees typically die within 2–3 years.
EAB was first confirmed in Texas in 2016 and has now been detected in 31 counties statewide. The latest confirmations in 2024 represent a notable southward jump, increasing the risk for nurseries, landscapes, and natural ash populations across Central Texas.
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Counties Affected

The USDA Interactive Map displays confirmed detections across the U.S., including the growing number in Texas.

What’s Being Done to Tackle It
The Texas A&M Forest Service is leading surveillance and outreach efforts to slow the spread of EAB. Confirmed counties are subject to state quarantines that restrict the movement of ash wood products to prevent further dispersal. Ongoing education and early detection efforts are critical tools in protecting remaining ash populations.


Key Considerations for TNLA Members

• If you grow or handle ash trees, especially in newly affected or adjacent counties, consult the TDA’s quarantine guidelines.
• Expect increased regulatory scrutiny around movement of nursery stock, wood products, and green waste.
• Landscape companies and urban foresters should monitor ash trees for dieback symptoms and woodpecker activity.

Here are some of the symptoms that are key to notice:

• Dead branches near the top of a tree
• Leafy shoots sprouting from the trunk.
• Bark splits exposing s-shaped larval galleries.
• Extensive woodpecker activity
• D‐shaped exit holes

Stay Informed

• Visit the Texas A&M Forest Service’s Emerald Ash Borer Hub for the latest maps, detection protocols, and resources.

Next Steps from TNLA
TNLA is monitoring the EAB expansion and will continue to work with federal, state, and local officials to ensure members remain informed and compliant. If you have questions about how EAB may impact your nursery or landscape operation, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or [email protected]

Spring is in full swing, and we know it’s one of your busiest times of year. Whether you’re in the greenhouse, out on job sites, or managing a team—you’ve got a lot going on. That’s why we’ve pulled together everything TNLA has going on this month, all in one place, so you don’t miss a beat.

Regional Meetings: Connect with Your Local Green Industry Community

Region I Meeting – Support the Future of Horticulture
Join us for an evening at Palo Alto Community College as we spotlight the Horticulture Program and kick off the student competition season.
April 8, 2025
Tour at 5:00 PM | Meeting 6:00–8:00 PM
Palo Alto Community College – Art Room 101
Free to attend + Free parking | Dinner provided
RSVP by April 7 to: [email protected]


Region III Spring Meeting – Tour & Annual Business Meeting
Tour the beautiful Purtis Creek Farm and enjoy great conversation and dinner with fellow members.
 May 15, 2025
 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM
 Purtis Creek Farm – Eustace, TX
 Free to attend + Free parking | Dinner provided
 RSVP by May 9 to: [email protected]
 Speaker: TBD

 TNLA Green Report Podcast: Industry Voices You Need to Hear
 Just Released:
Season 4, Episode 4: “Cultivating the Future” with Dr. Andrew King
Go behind the scenes of the Texas Superstar® Trials and hear what makes a plant a true standout in Texas landscapes.
Posted March 31
Listen now: Episode 4 on Podbean
Coming April 9:
Season 4, Episode 5: “Rooted in Quality” with Savanna Taylor Thornton
Get an insider’s look at the 2025 season from Lone Star Trees, plus industry insights on tariffs, labor, and advocacy.
Listen here: greenreport.podbean.com

Free Webinar: Reaching Families & Educators Through Nature

Unlocking New Customer Opportunities Through Early Childhood Connections
Presented by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Dr. Jodi Nerren and Anna Raumaker.
Thursday, April 24, 2025
1:30 PM
Zoom
Register: Click here to register
Learn how to connect with families and educators by highlighting the benefits of nature in child development—and turn them into loyal green industry customers.


Nursery/Landscape Expo 2025 Registration is LIVE!
Get ready for Nursery/Landscape Expo 2025, happening August 5–7. Register early and lock in discounted rates by July 18! Booths selling fast!! Mobile App launching soon, be on the look out for updates.

 Here's a few sneak peek session titles:

• Texas Natives: Key Plants and Key Pests
• Controlling Borers and Scale Pests
• Proven Secrets to a More Profitable Irrigation Business
• Tree Risk Assessment & Structural Pruning
• Climate Resilient Trees for a 21st Century
• Next-Gen Irrigation: 4-Hour Live Demo
  … and more!

Register now at 👉 nurserylandscapeexpo.org


Coming end of April: Spring Issue of TNLA Working for You Magazine
Our Spring 2025 issue of TNLA Working For You goes live in late April, and you won’t want to miss it! This issue celebrates our award winners honored at the Lone Star Hort Forum, digs into real-time compliance guidance on immigration, features exclusive stories from WTAMU, and offers practical insights into landscape marketing, pest management, and more.

Whether you're looking to be inspired, stay compliant, or gain an edge in today’s competitive landscape, this issue has something for everyone in the green industry.

Keep an eye on your inbox—we’ll let you know as soon as it’s live.

Coming in May: “Embrace Your Space” Campaign Launch!
We’re excited to launch our "Embrace Your Space" campaign this May—a free marketing toolkit to help your business promote spring planting and boost customer engagement. Get ready for downloadable social graphics, fliers, and easy-to-use content you can put to work right away.


We know this season can be intense—but we’re here to make it easier. From advocacy to events to marketing tools, TNLA has your back. Here’s to a strong spring season!

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, (Coleoptera:Buprestidae) is a serious pest of all north American ash (Fraxinus spp.) white fringe tree (Chiananthus virginicus), and European Olive (Olea europaea) of all sizes. This pest is a small beetle (0.25-0.50 inches in length, 0.06 inches wide) with a bright metallic green color and coppery-red abdominal segments under the wings. They have long, narrow bodies that are rounded on the bottom and flat on the top. The life cycle of EAB includes eggs, larvae, pupa and adult stages. The larvae are 1-1.25 inches long, flattened, translucent pale-yellow color with a wide tan head, and 10 abdominal segments that are bell-shaped creating a serrated look. There are five larval instars of EAB.

Emerald ash borers are phloem and cambium-feeding insects. Minor damage is done by adult EAB which feeds on ash foliage, leaving irregularly shaped leaf margins. Larval stages cause significant damage by building galleries below bark in the phloem and cambium layers (producing new wood and conductive tissues). Larval feeding injury cause tree girdling, disrupting the transport of water and nutrients leading to the tree's death. Infested ash trees show symptoms including vertical bark splitting, serpentine (s-shaped) galleries behind outer bark, D-shaped exit holes from adult beetles (1/8 inch wide on the bark surface), canopy thinning, crown/branch dieback, epicormic shoots (suckers) from the base/lower trunk/branches and increased activity of woodpeckers. Larvae can survive in greenwood, firewood, and logs when the bark is attached, capable of spreading EAB from one place to another.

The emerald ash borer (EAB), native to East Asia, was first detected in Michigan, U.S., in 2002. In Texas, EAB was identified in Harrison County in 2016 and has since spread to 27 additional counties as of July 2024, with 11 new infestations in just one year. This invasive pest threatens North America's hardwood forests and nursery stock, killing unprotected ash trees, causing substantial aesthetic, ecological, and economic damage to urban forests. Human-assisted spread of EAB in Texas has been accelerated by movement of infested nursery ash trees, logs, landscape waste, and firewood, has accelerated EAB movement in Texas. These activities have played a significant role in the rapid spread of this invasive pest across the state. According to Texas A&M Forest Service, the management of EAB (treatment, removal of dead trees, processing debris, and replacement of trees) would cost more than $29 billion over the next 20 years in Texas. Chemical treatments, such as drenching or foliar applications, are currently the only effective method to protect ash trees infested by emerald ash borer (EAB). These treatments are most effective for trees with less than 30% canopy decline and for susceptible trees within a 30-mile radius of known EAB infestations.

​Figure 1. Adult Emerald ash borer (EAB). Photo courtesy, Randy King

Figure 2. Emarald ash borer-infested ash trees with more than 50% canopy loss. Photo courtesy Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org.
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Questions?
Please contact Rafia Khan Assistant Professor Extension Entomologist