Dead ash trees in the valley
Emerald ash borer is a small beetle that kills ash trees, and it is present in both Ohio and West Virginia. The larvae feed under the bark and cut off the tree's water and nutrients. An infested ash usually dies within a few years.
Dead ash is a particular problem because the wood dries out and turns brittle. Large limbs can drop without warning, and a dead ash is more dangerous for a climber to work in the longer it stands. That is why sooner is safer, and often cheaper.
Signs of an ash in trouble
- The crown thinning, starting at the top
- Small D shaped holes in the bark
- Woodpeckers working the trunk and flaking off bark
- Vertical splits in the bark
- Sprouts shooting out low on the trunk
Other hazard signs, any species
- A lean that changed, or soil heaving on one side
- Fungus or mushrooms at the base or on the trunk
- Hollow sections or cavities
- Deep cracks, or a split where two main trunks meet
- Dead branches hanging in the crown, sometimes called widowmakers
If you see any of these on a tree that could reach the house, a driveway or a play area, get it looked at. The estimate is free.