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Emerald Ash Borer Pest Treatment by Certified Arborists
WARNING: The Emerald ash borer, or EAB, is a troublesome pest that’s been heading this way for a bit over a decade. IT IS NOW IN the Carolinas!!! Heartwood Tree Care has been keeping an eye on the situation for a while now and has put together this page to provide information about the pest, its signs and symptoms, spread, and treatments. We’ll be updating this page on a regular basis as things change and we learn more.
What makes us the experts? Well, it's in the numbers! We have been in business for over 40 years, have more than 30 certified arborists on our team, and hold a dozen awards and accreditations. Plus, we have saved almost 500 trees from EAB infestations!
Contact us today for more emerald ash resources or to schedule one of our renowned tree services we offer to folks throughout Charlotte, Asheville, Lake Norman, Mooresville, and Huntersville.
EAB Treatment for Ash Trees in Charlotte, Asheville, and Lake Norman
We provide emerald ash borer treatment services from our dedicated locations in Charlotte, Asheville, & Lake Norman. Contact us today!
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FAQs About Emerald Ash Borer Treatment
Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, is an exotic beetle native to Asia and Eastern Russia. Named after its distinct, metallic green color, it was first detected in the United States in 2002 in the Great Lakes Region and has been slowly spreading ever since. Despite the adult emerald ash borer measuring only about half an inch long, these invasive pests pose a colossal threat to forests across our area and beyond. So far, over tens of millions of once-healthy trees have been affected.
As the name states, ash trees are their primary host plant. There’s been some research and observations over the last year or two that indicate that another few species might be affected, but ash trees are the concern at this point.
The emerald ash borer undergoes a complete metamorphosis throughout its life cycle. Adult beetles emerge from infested ash wood trees in late spring, typically between May and June. While they consume ash leaves, their feeding damage is relatively minor compared to the devastation caused by their offspring. After mating, females lay tiny eggs in bark crevices. After the eggs hatch, the EAB larvae tunnel beneath the bark and begin feeding on the calcium layer, which is the crucial tissue responsible for transporting water and nutrients throughout the entire tree.
As the larvae grow and develop, they create winding galleries that continue to disrupt the tree's vascular system. This feeding activity weakens the tree, making it more susceptible to disease, bark splitting, broken branches, and eventually death. After one or two years of feeding, the larvae pupate within the tree, transforming into adult beetles. The emergence of these new adults marks the beginning of a new generation, and the EAB infestation cycle continues.
YES!
The Emerald Ash Borer has been discovered in numerous counties across both North and South Carolina. It spreads through natural means and with some help from man (transporting fire logs and lumber is now illegal due to the quick spread of EAB this way).
We have the benefit of 10 years of trial and error trying to control this pest in other parts of the country. We have a good handle on how to help trees withstand the EAB storm when it comes. Treating your trees with an insecticide PREVENTATIVELY is the best way to protect them. There are several different ways we can apply the needed product, depending on the location of the tree, the time of year, and a few other factors.
At Heartwood Tree Care, we offer advanced insecticide treatments to combat Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestations, providing a lifeline for your beloved ash trees. Our primary EAB treatment method involves trunk injections using emamectin benzoate, an extremely powerful and systemic insecticide. This treatment is specifically designed to target EAB without harming the surrounding ecosystem.
The process begins with a thorough assessment of the tree's health and the severity of the issue. A certified arborist will then carefully inject the emamectin benzoate directly into the tree's vascular system through small holes drilled at the base of the trunk. This allows the treatment to spread evenly throughout the tree, reaching even the highest branches. The emamectin benzoate works by disrupting the nervous system of EAB larvae feeding within the tree, effectively halting their destructive activity. We also offer soil drench treatments as an alternative for smaller trees or in situations where trunk injections may not be suitable.
One of the key advantages of this technique for treating ash trees is its longevity - a single application can provide protection for up to two years, reducing the need for frequent treatments and preserving overall tree health. This approach is particularly beneficial for historic ash trees or those in areas where EAB infestations are severe.
Additionally, this emerald ash borer tree treatment is cost-effective as it mitigates the need for emergency tree removal. Eliminating any emerald green monsters can also lead to more green in your pocket when you decide to sell, as protecting ash trees helps maintain property values for homeowners.
Perhaps the most important perk of combating these tiny tree terrors is the environmental impact. Trees purify the air we breathe, provide homes to critical wildlife (excluding the beetles, of course), and aid in ecosystem balance.
It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. It takes only 2 years for the beetles to kill a tree. By the time it’s noticed, it’s too late. You have two options: either treat your Ash for protection or plan on paying to have it removed. Removal must be done by using aerial lifts because the tree becomes too dangerous to climb. We highly suggest using preventative treatments so we can avoid losing an important piece of the natural canopy. There are now entire sections of Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan with no ash trees!
EAB infestations, if detected early, can usually be resolved. Unfortunately, they often go unnoticed until it's too late, and the infected tree can no longer be saved. To help people preserve their trees, we at Heartwood Tree Care strive to educate homeowners like you on what signs can point to the presence of emerald ash borer. Here are some of the clues to watch for:
- Canopy dieback: Thinning and yellowing leaves starting at the top of the tree progressing downward.
- Epicormic sprouting: Clusters of small branches or leaves growing from the trunk or larger branches.
- Woodpecker activity: Increased woodpecker presence in your ash trees could indicate a hidden threat. These birds are attracted to the EAB larvae beneath the bark.
- D-shaped exit holes: Distinctive 1/8 inch wide, D-shaped holes where adult beetles emerge from the tree.
- Bark splits: Vertical cracks in the bark, often revealing S-shaped galleries underneath.
- Serpentine galleries: S-shaped tunnels under the bark, filled with sawdust-like frass.
- Leaf notches: Adult beetles feed on ash leaves, leaving notches along the edges.
- Bark flaking: Unusual bark shedding or flaking, often revealing lighter patches underneath.
- Crown transparency: Abnormal thinning of the tree's foliage, allowing more light to pass through.
- Basal sprouting: New growth emerging from the base of the tree, a sign of stress.
While there's no guaranteed way to avoid EAB entirely, taking proactive steps can significantly reduce the risk and prevent further damage. Property owners can help by avoiding the transportation of local firewood, as this is a common way the pest spreads. Regular inspection of your ash trees for signs of infestation is also essential. If you suspect an issue, contact our certified arborists right away.
At Heartwood Tree Care, we offer comprehensive emerald ash borer control services designed to protect your valuable greenery. Through our routine monitoring and targeted treatments at the first sign of trouble, we can offset emerald ash borer from wreaking havoc on your landscape.
Yes! If you have an ash tree that you love or care for, now is the time to put a protection plan in place and contact us. You can also send pictures of a tree you think is an ash to our email! By reaching out, even if you just have a hunch your trees could be in jeopardy, you can make a big difference in the fight against these small pests.
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I've used Heartwood for the past 7 years at our house. Each time they handle the entire situation with professionalism - and they are fast! This particular time, our tree was in a complicated spot wedged between our property and our neighbors with multiple structures surrounding it. And yet, they came in and got it done - had to move a lot of equipment in and around the yard, but took care of the yard in the process and cleaned up (per usual). Fantastic work and that's why we keep coming back to this crew year after year.Posted on Google
Colin Novelli22 October 2026The team at Heartwood is excellent, they were thorough and considerate throughout all of our interactions. Christine and Yona were both outstanding and I would absolutely recommend their services to anyone who may need them.Posted on Google
Taylor Strange9 October 2026I had Heartwood Tree Care remove 4 palm trees in my pool area. They were very adamant about making sure nothing go into the pool and covered the entire pool. They did a FANTATIC job, very professional, all the crew members were considerate and cleaned the area as if it was their own property. I have lots of trees and Heartwood Tree Care is my go to company . They did such a good job my neighbors called me to get the company that I used, THANK YOU CARLOS & HEARTWOOD CREW MEMBERSPosted on Google
amber Glover4 November 2025To my surprise, Heartwood's bid on the removal of a diseased pine tree was no higher than the best I received from little guy companies. Plus, Heartwood agreed to compost rather than just dump the chips. Everyone I dealt with there performed with competence and professionalism.The crew brought all the necessary equipment to complete the job efficiently, without damage to neighboring trees, and finished with a better cleanup than I imagined possible. Very happy!Posted on Google
Michael Hopping17 September 2025Great company, great people. Heartwood Tree Care delivered a level of service we did not know existed anymore. For each step of the process to remove a very large, very leaning tree — from supplying an estimate to diligently returning to their exact place some items from the yard we did not think to move in advance — the entire crew was thoughtful, professional, and precise. We highly recommend them.+0Posted on Google
Susan Wille27 August 2025Heartwood Tree Care is a Top shelf, excellent company. They have state of the art equipment, highly skilled, precision oriented, and friendly employees.+1Posted on Google
Lesley Mullen21 July 2025Heartwood tree has given us excellent service for our old trees - helping us to preserve the large old walnuts , pecans, cherries, magnolias, etc. They have been very informative with everything that has been done and not recommended unnecessary services. David has been amazing with his care of all our trees and plants - I can trust him (and Heartwood) to have the best care of our yard in their plans.Posted on Google
Yvonne McCracken11 July 2024Could not be more happy. They cleared out a few dead trees, chipped them and was so fun to watch. And they were very careful around my chickens.Posted on Google
Blue Bactol16 May 2024I reached out to Heartwood Tree Service because I quickly realized how overwhelmed I was getting with all the conflicting information online to care for my fruit trees and ensure they do well for years to come. One of them in particular is very special to me as it was planted as a memorial tree for my father that passed and it developed black knot fungus on it only a few years after planting. I received reassurance that it will be OK as I caught it early and was given many pointers on everything from pruning to fertilizer to pest and fungal control & prevention. Tommy was very kind and helpful for me and provided a lot of info that was very specific not just regarding different trees but also regarding our region and the different issues and temperature swings we have in Western NC. I am so thankful and highly recommend Heartwood to anyone that needs some help/guidance/maintenance done! Thank you so much!!Posted on Google
Brett Frost13 March 2024Twenty+ Stars! “Never have we ever” received more professional, talented, responsive, honest, friendly, responsible, reliable service, period. Tommy Masters responded immediately to our recent ice storm issues (we live in a challenging microclimate). He and his team are simply beyond super stars! The project was scheduled quickly, and the work of the team (Yona, Christine, Jordan, and Todd) was simply beyond words, just like Tommy. We remain in awe and will rely upon Heartwood for all of our future tree work, forever. We have already scheduled additional complex projects with Heartwood and simply cannot recommend the Heartwood team highly enough. And, most of them are certified arborists! ALL are extremely qualified and seasoned, experienced professionals. They are the real deal! Thank you for a job very, very well done!Posted on Google
O K21 January 2024I wanted to write a review about the folks at Heartwood. They are very responsive and professional. They showed up and marked all the trees to remove for the estimate. The time from the onsite visit to the estimate was fast and detailed. We'll be using them in the future for sure.Posted on Google
Tom Curé ALC20 June 2023We are SO glad we chose to go with Heartwood Tree Service. From our first meeting with Tommy, a person of integrity and honor, to the skill and quality of work performed by Yona and Christina, we couldn't be more pleased! My husband and I will heartily recommend.Posted on Google
Elizabeth Maxwell9 November 2022Andrew and team are true professionals.Posted on Google
Michael White20 September 2022Top notch from the roots up HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANYPosted on Google
Frank Brown10 May 2022I am so happy with the work this crew did today. They were on time, detailed, neat and personable. They listened to my needs and did exactly what I asked. This company employs true experts. I highly recommend them and will use them again! Thank you!+0Posted on Google
Karen Vann4 May 2022Had heartwood recommended to me from a friend. The entire process was very easy. From quote to payment. They came in on time and under budget. Would definitely use these guys againPosted on Google
Michael Melear15 April 2022What an extraordinary team. They were removing trees from the hillside behind my home yesterday and a dropped branch caused a large rock to skid and hit my vinyl siding. Yano promised to take care of it, but when he came back the same day with siding to fix it — I was blown away. That kind of responsiveness deserves recognition! A company that does seem to have their heart in what they do.Posted on Google
Raina Scura1 March 2022Tommy at Heartwood was great to work with. Got a quick and fair quote/consult, and they worked me into the queue to get my tree cut down within a couple weeks given there were dying branches over my roof. They were prompt, did great work, and I would absolutely use them again. I felt the price was fair and reasonable as well.Posted on Google
Tristan Colonius26 December 2020Kudos to Heartwood Tree Service, in Asheville,NC! They gave me a competitive quote and they know their stuff. The crew came in, completed the work I requested, and cleaned up before they. Left. I highly recommend them.Posted on Google
Merry Stamper24 September 2020Friendly and Professional staff that go out of their way to provide good services, at a good value.... I recommend them amd will use their services againPosted on Google
CHRIS SMITH10 September 2020Oh man, we had a tree go down across our driveway and we couldn’t get out. Having just driven into town, we needed groceries and were stuck! I spoke with Lisa (I think), she reached out to someone who was scheduled to be in the area and promised to call me if he couldn’t come. Within an hour, Tommy was here and removed most of the stump so we could get out. He gave us a quote, recommended we address some potential problems, and the crew came and was here and gone before 5pm the same day. Saved our butts and we’re so grateful!Posted on Google
Morgen Stanzler21 August 2020Had a wonderful experience with Heartwood Tree Service! The entire crew was very knowledgeable, friendly and professional. I'm very happy with the work they did for us.Posted on Google
Aimie Burns22 April 2020We couldn't be happier with Heartwood Tree's professionalism, care and skill. Many many thanks to their AMAZING crew!Posted on Google
Mary L17 December 2019Thanks for saving our tree job well done!Posted on Google
Irene Robinson12 December 2019Heartwood came and evaluated our tree, we wanted to try to save it! Heartwood gave us expert advice and held our hand throughout the entire process. Great business I highly recommend Them!!Posted on Google
Myrna Bergin11 December 2019Great service provider, on-time respectful and delivered on budget!!Posted on Google
Stacy Taylor10 December 2019Thank you Heartwood for saving our tree, job well done!!Posted on Google
Rafaela Cruz9 December 2019Tommy Masters from Heartwood has done work three times at my house. He is exceptional: honest; meticulous; talented; an authentic conservationist. The whole team at Heartwood gets my unequivocal endorsement.Posted on Google
Nancy Alenier30 November 2019Excellent arborist & staff! These people do believe in saving trees! Very happy with their work, and their rates are reasonable.Posted on Google
Jim Weideman19 November 2019Yona and his crew did an outstanding job removing my old Bradford pear tree and pruning two other large trees in my front yard. Heartwood Tree Service is the BEST - highly recommend!Posted on Google
Grateful One5 November 2019
Call Today to Learn More About Our Tree Removal Services!
If you’ve been struggling with a tree that’s causing issues, now is the time to take action. Heartwood Tree Care is here to provide expert tree removal services in Charlotte, Lake Norman, and Asheville, NC, to enhance your property’s safety and keep it looking its best.
Contact us today for a free estimate or to book a service, and let us take care of the trees so you can focus on enjoying your yard.
