Emerald ash borer has arrived in the Vancouver area, and I'm seeing more ash trees show early signs each season. If you own an ash tree, I recommend having me assess it soon. Treatment works best when infestation is still light. If a tree is too far gone to save, I'll tell you straight rather than sell you a plan that won't hold. I offer a free estimate to evaluate your tree and discuss replanting options if needed.
What emerald ash borer actually is
Emerald ash borer is a small metallic green beetle, about the size of a grain of rice, that has spread across North America over the past two decades. It arrived in the Vancouver area more recently, but I'm spotting it with increasing frequency. The beetle itself is not the immediate problem. The real damage happens when the larvae hatch and tunnel under the bark, feeding on the layer that carries water and nutrients through the tree. These tunnels, called galleries, girdle the branches and trunk. Within a few years of heavy infestation, the tree starves from the inside out.
The beetle has a one-year life cycle here. Adults emerge in late spring and early summer, lay eggs on ash bark, and those eggs hatch into larvae that spend the rest of the year eating their way through the wood. By the time you see the adult beetles leaving exit holes, the damage is already substantial. This is why early detection matters so much.
Why it matters in Mount Pleasant
An untreated ash tree infested with emerald ash borer will die. There is no way around it. The question is how quickly, and how much risk that creates for your property. A dead ash sheds branches unpredictably. In a windstorm, a dead or dying ash can fail suddenly, especially if it overhangs a house, a garage, a fence, or a neighbour's property. Removing a dead ash is more expensive and more dangerous than removing a healthy or recently infested one because the wood becomes brittle and the risk to the climber increases.
Treatment with an approved insecticide can stop the beetle if the tree is caught early, when only a few galleries are present. Once the infestation is advanced, no treatment will save it. That is why I assess your tree as soon as you notice symptoms. Early action preserves your options. If the tree is saveable, treatment buys you time. If it is not, I can plan removal at your pace and discuss what species makes sense to replant in that space.
When to do emerald ash borer?
Emerald ash borer signs appear over the growing season. The first visible symptom is often a thinning crown, where the upper branches lose leaves and die back. You may see this in mid to late summer. As the infestation progresses, bark splits vertically in long cracks, exposing the wood beneath. You may also notice D-shaped exit holes about 3 millimetres across where adult beetles have chewed their way out of the trunk and branches. These holes are a definite sign the tree is already infested.
I recommend having your ash tree inspected in late spring or early summer, before the beetles are active and laying eggs. If your tree shows any of these symptoms, do not wait for the next season. The sooner I assess it, the sooner I can discuss whether treatment is viable or whether removal and replanting is the better path. Ash trees in the Vancouver area are at risk, so if you have one and have not had it checked, I encourage you to call for a free estimate.
How I work in Vancouver neighbourhoods
When you call me, I ask a few quick questions about your tree: its location, size, and whether you have noticed any symptoms. I then schedule a time to visit your property and climb up to inspect the trunk and branches closely. I am looking for entry holes, galleries under the bark, exit holes, and the overall health of the crown. This inspection takes thirty minutes to an hour depending on tree size and access.
After the inspection, I give you a clear assessment. If the tree is lightly infested and worth saving, I explain the treatment options and what to expect. If the infestation is too advanced, I tell you that. I then provide a free written free Estimate that outlines the work, timing, and what happens next. If removal is necessary, I discuss whether you want to replant and what species might work well in that spot. I handle all the climbing, cutting, chipping, and site cleanup myself. Once the work is done, your property is left clean and ready.
The situations I run into
Every ash tree situation is different, and the right path depends on how far the infestation has progressed and what you want for your property long term.
- Early infestation, tree worth saving: The tree shows thinning in the crown and maybe a few exit holes, but the structure is still sound. I recommend treatment with an approved insecticide injected into the trunk. This stops larvae in the galleries and protects new growth. The tree recovers over the next season or two. Follow-up treatments may be needed depending on beetle pressure in your neighbourhood.
- Advanced infestation, tree not saveable: The crown is mostly dead, bark is heavily split, and there are many exit holes. Treatment will not work. The tree needs to come down. I remove it, chip the wood, and clear the site. We then discuss what to plant in its place, whether another ash species, a different hardwood, or something else entirely.
- Ash tree with no visible symptoms: If you own an ash and want peace of mind, I can inspect it preventively. This is especially useful if you have noticed emerald ash borer activity in your neighbourhood. Early detection makes all the difference.
- Ash tree near hydro lines: If your tree is close to the private service entrance to your home, I can safely work around it while respecting clearance distances from the line. I do not work on public distribution lines, but I can handle work on your side of the connection.
