Destructive And Invasive Bug Species Back In Northern Colorado

While Colorado is full of some amazing and beautiful native species of animals and plants, there’s plenty coming from the outside that are causing harm.

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For example, the rusty crayfish was introduced by Colorado fisherman as bait but has since damaged underwater ecosystems and outcompeted native crayfish species.

When it comes to plants, the poison hemlock is also not native to Colorado. While it looks harmless, consuming it can have some seriously deadly consequences.

However, another invasive species has returned to Northern Colorado, with this one causing major damage to trees.

Invasive Emerald Ash Borer Found in Loveland, Colorado

According to a press release from the City of Loveland, the emerald ash borer was found in an ash tree.

More specifically, it was found in an ash tree on the 700 block of East 5th Street.

The City of Loveland Forestry Program, who is responsible for keeping track of over 25,000 trees, says 4,000 of them are ash trees.

What is concerning is that, as the name implies, emerald ash borers not only feed on ash trees, but can kill them if left untreated. 

What Are Emerald Ash Borers, and When Did They Get to Colorado?

The emerald ash borer is an insect that is native to different parts of Asia. 

According to the Colorado State Forest Service, its introduction into the United States was very recent, being discovered in Michigan in 2002.

Ever since, it is responsible for the death of millions of ash trees and are considered the single most destructive pest species in the United States.

The insect found its way to Colorado even more recently in 2013. Ever since, it has been found in many different places, including Northern Colorado.

Major outbreaks include Boulder in 2015, in Broomfield and Larimer County in 2019, and in Littleton and Carbondale in 2023.

According to the CSU Forest Service, 15% of trees in Colorado are ash trees, showing just how critical it is that these pests are eradicated.

How Do You Get Rid of Emerald Ash Borers?

If you have a tree that’s infested with emerald ash borers on your property, you need to get in contact with professionals as soon as possible. You will likely not be able to remove them yourself.

According to Orkin, if you have ash firewood, you need to keep it on your property, especially if it’s from last season. Make sure to burn all of the previous year’s firewood as well.

Most of the time, emerald ash borers are killed with insecticides, but again, these typically can only be used by pest control professionals, so make sure to have them take command of the situation.

Typically, prophylactic pesticide is used either before or after infestation.

However, there are times when the only option is complete tree removal.