In this Cottage Life article, Matt Mayr from Davey's Northwest Toronto office talks about the invasive emerald ash borer and how you can protect your trees from them. 

Posted: June 23, 2025

A large tree with green and red leaves in the midground of a grassy field.It may look pretty, but the emerald ash borer is a killer. These insects kill ash trees by gobbling up their nutrients. First, as larvae, when the bugs hatch and burrow between the inner bark and the sapwood, forming S-shaped lines, and then, as adults, when they eat ash tree leaves.

The beetle, which is native to Eastern Asia, has already killed hundreds of millions of trees across North America. Late spring is when the emerald ash borer (EAB) emerges from trees and lays eggs.

“This insect will spread wherever there are ash trees, and it’s really threatening,” says Matt Mayr, the district manager of the Davey Tree office in northwest Toronto.

This year could be especially damaging for ash trees, as Canada is expected to see a warm summer with dry conditions, which makes trees more vulnerable to wood-boring insect damage.

Here’s what you need to know about the invasive species, and how to protect your ash trees.

To continue reading Matt's advice, click here. 

For more information, contact the Northwest Toronto office. 

The Davey Tree Expert Company, headquartered in Kent, Ohio, provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. As one of the top ten largest employee-owned companies in the U.S., Davey's 12,000 employees have been dedicated to creating and delivering sustainable solutions since 1880. Apply today to join the Davey legacy, and learn about how we're growing with our new SEED Campus

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