‘Herd Immunity’ May Protect Ash Trees from Invasive Beetle

Emerald ash borer damageThe emerald ash borer has wreaked havoc on ash trees since it arrived in North America from Eastern Asia in 2002, but, faced with decreasing ash tree populations, researchers are testing to see if treating a portion of the trees in a forest with an insecticide will protect nearby trees from the invasive beetle, WESA Pittsburgh reports.

It’s the same principle of “herd immunity” for humans and vaccines, Kathleen Knight, a research ecologist with the USDA Forest Service’s Northern Research Station, told WESA.

“When you have people being vaccinated against a disease, in some people either the vaccine doesn’t work or they don’t get vaccinated, but they’re still protected because everyone else around them is vaccinated and can’t get the disease,” Knight said.

To test the theory, contractors will drill holes in the bases of several ash trees in the Allegheny National Forest, where the insecticide will then be injected and absorbed through the trunks and canopies of the ash trees. Researchers will then monitor the trees and attempt to pinpoint the percentage of trees in the area that need to be treated to immunize the surrounding trees.

Similar treatments are being tested around the country, according to the WESA report.

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