Kansas officials confirm emerald ash borer in Pottawatomie County

The emerald ash borer threatens urban and rural forests by killing North American ash species and their cultivars. (Photo courtesy of Kansas Forest Service)

Latest discovery marks 17 Kansas counties with destructive beetle

At a glance: The Kansas Forest Service and the Kansas Department of Agriculture have confirmed the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer in Pottawatomie County, marking the 17thcounty in Kansas confirmed to have the invasive insect.

More information: Shad Hufnagel, smh8877@ksu.edu, 785-532-3300

Photos: Emerald Ash Borer on a green leaf | Emerald Ash Borer (in bottle) | Emerald Ash Borer in Kansas (Map)

Related: Recommended Trees (Kansas) | Kansas Certified Arborists | Reporting EAB (Kansas Department of Agriculture) | Reporting EAB (Kansas Forest Service) | Emerald Ash Borer spread in Kansas (map)

June 17, 2025

By Pat Melgares, K-State Research and Extension news service

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Kansas Forest Service has confirmed the presence of the emerald ash borer in Pottawatomie County, the second confirmed sighting found in Kansas this year.

KFS, working with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension, captured and confirmed four live adult insect specimens on June 10 in Wheaton, approximately 25 miles north of Wamego.

Officials say signs and symptoms of the pest had recently been reported and a follow-up site visit resulted in the official detection of verifiable physical specimens.

"As progression of the emerald ash borer continues into new counties, we similarly work to provide ongoing early detections," said Shad Hufnagel, forest health coordinator with the Kansas Forest Service.

At right: Emerald ash borer

"Part of this proactive approach involves the utilization of EAB trap, or detection, trees in all counties adjacent to counties in which the insect has already been confirmed. As the range of EAB expands, so does our representation of trap trees."

The emerald ash borer is an exotic, invasive beetle from eastern Russia and northeastern Asia that likely was brought to the U.S. in infested packing material. The beetle threatens urban and rural forests by killing North American ash species and their cultivars.

KFS officials note that at least 70 million ash trees have already been destroyed due to the emerald ash borer, and as many as 9 billion North American ash trees will eventually be functionally rooted out and destroyed from the continent.

The discovery in Pottawatomie County makes 17 Kansas counties in which the emerald ash borer has been confirmed, including Linn County earlier this year.

The other Kansas counties in which EAB has been confirmed include Wyandotte (2012), Johnson (2013), Leavenworth (2014), Douglas (2015), Jefferson (2015), Atchison (2016), Doniphan (2017), Shawnee (2017), Miami (2019), Jackson (2019), Brown (2022), Osage (2022), Franklin (2023), Lyon (2024), Nemaha (2024) and Linn (2025).

Forest officials say landowners should learn the signs and symptoms of emerald ash borer in their ash trees, including thinning canopies. As the feeding progresses, trees may begin to sucker (a process called epicormic sprouting) where branches appear near the trunk or lower canopy.

Eventually, small D-shaped holes may appear in the bark. Host trees will often decline over the course of a few years as the larvae stage of the insects feed on the vascular tissue of the affected trees. Unfortunately, Hufnagel says, early infestations are often difficult to identify.

"Landowners are encouraged to create a replacement plan for the ash trees on their property to ensure a continually healthy canopy as ash trees decline," Hufnagel said. "A landscape with many types of trees is more resilient to insect, disease and environmental threats that exist or could occur in the future."

He adds: "Timely detection and confirmation allow property owners a chance to consider and seek treatment options. All unprotected ash trees where EAB is present are targets."

Those seeking treatment or removal of ash trees in a county where the insect has already been detected should consult an arborist. A listing of certified arborists in Kansas is available online.

Landowners, especially those in counties where the insect has not already been detected, are encouraged to report suspected cases of emerald ash borer to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, or to the Kansas Forest Service.

All Kansans are reminded of the recommendation to avoid bringing firewood from another state or county where emerald ash borer has been previously detected. Use local sources for firewood.

The Kansas Forest Service, in partnership with K-State Research and Extension, continues to offer workshops and educational training in counties with detected populations of emerald ash borer, as well as those communities not yet affected by the pest.

More information on resources about treatment of infected trees is available online from the Kansas Forest Service.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.