Sunday, April 8, 2012

A Tree Story

Part One: Figure 1 (Inspired by the upsidedownies). A little more from this post, now with Figure 1 labeling!











Part Two: On the White Trail

This section of the trail used to be fairly dark even on a sunny day, thanks to all the trees. These have all come down in the last couple years.





Part 3: The Emerald Ash Borer



The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, is a green beetle native to Asia.

Since its accidental introduction into the United States and Canada in the 1990s, and its subsequent detection in 2002, it has spread to 14 states and adjacent parts of Canada. It has killed at least 50 to 100 million ash trees so far and threatens to kill most of the 7.5 billion ash trees throughout North America.

The insect threatens the entire North American Fraxinus genus, unlike past invasive tree pests, which have only threatened a single species within a genus. The green ash and the black ash trees are preferred. White ash is also killed rapidly, but usually only after green and black ash trees are eliminated. Blue ash displays some resistance to the emerald ash borer by forming callous tissue around EAB galleries; however, they are usually killed eventually as well.

Some of the trees around the house are oak trees. But it looks like we're going to have get some more ashes cut down, before they fall down.
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19 comments:

mikey said...

Well, I guess the use of Maple for Baseball bats will become somewhat less controversial as Ash becomes rare.

I don't imagine that an Ash felled by the Ash Borer remains usable for much other than firewood...

Jennifer said...

I counted 16 trees in a 3 block-stretch that will be coming down thanks to the Emerald Ash Borer... YL lost 7 in front of her school a couple of days ago. Between the storm damage, Dutch Elm Disease, and the EAB, our town is going to look like a lunar landscape.

mikey- I've heard states take both sides on this... some say you can use the wood if it's handled properly, but some say they don't want to take the risk of passing on more damage. I hope they can salvage some of it. We're losing huge, old trees.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

That's the tragedy, Jennifer. I bet some of these trees are older than I am. And what will take their place?

P.S. mikey, here's another place with the hand grenade tab logo.
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Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

This blog is all forest, no fairies BOOOOOOOOOO!

WHY DOES THUDNER HATE FAIRIES?!!!

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Did you spot the fairy in this pic from my last post, vs?

Here's a closeup.
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Hamish Mack said...

I thought that was umbrella girl on a break.

Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

Did you spot the fairy in this pic from my last post, vs?

Here's a closeup.


I'll be damned.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Emerald Ash Borer is Obama's fault. Clearly.

Hamish Mack said...

Have we seen the Ash Borer's Long form Birth Certificate???

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

If the ash trees die off how will new male humans be created?

Randal Graves said...

Always knew you were a closet black metal fan.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

We're doomed, B^4.
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Jim H. said...

Damn shame about that. Like Mikey said, what'll they do for baseball bats now?

Substance McGravitas said...

We're doomed, B^4.

I'm cheered up.

williamrobertway said...

Do you have enough firewood to sell?

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Not really, W.W. That big mess of trees that fell isn't that near the house. Also, the logs need to be sawed up and split pretty soon after they hit the ground. Nature doesn't waste time with the decay (which comes right after the J).
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fish said...

I can't get my fairies to even clean their damn rooms.

fish said...

The tree story plot was pretty well rooted, but it still leaves a lot to be desired.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Coming soon: The Fish That Wouldn't Bark.
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