Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

On May 14, 2009, EAB was found in St, Paul, Minnesota. EAB is a serious invasive tree pest, and consequently a quarantine has been placed on Ramsey, Hennepin, and Houston Counties to help slow the spread of EAB to other areas.

EAB is an insect that attacks and kills ash trees. The adults are small, iridescent green beetles that live outside of trees during the summer months. The larvae are grub or worm-like and live underneath the bark of ash trees. Trees are killed by the tunneling of the larvae under the tree's bark.

For more information about the EAB, see the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch elm disease was first discovered in Minnesota in 1961 in Saint Paul and Monticello. Since then, the disease has spread to every county. Caused by a fungus carried by the Elm bark tree beetle, the fungus is transferred when beetles breed under the bark of a Dutch Elm tree, transmitting the fungus into the tree. When wilting occurs in an isolated part of the canopy, also called flagging, this is a sure sign the tree has been infected. After flagging is spotted the Elm can rapidly decline, eventually leading to the demise of the tree in a very short time period (weeks to months). For more information about Dutch elm disease, see the US Forest Service website.

The City continues to inspect annually for Dutch elm disease. Contact the Brooklyn Center's tree inspector with any tree-related questions or concerns at 763-585-7100 during regular business hours (7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday).

Plant and Pest Diseases 

To learn more about plant pests and diseases visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website.