The invasive beetle eats through the tree, cutting off the tissue that absorbs water. Photo: Terry Harris/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
The invasive emerald ash borer has been found in five new Texas counties and additional parts of Dallas.
Why it matters: The discovery of the invasive species in nonadjacent counties shows that humans are spreading the problem.
The beetle has decimated ash trees throughout the country since the northeast Asian species was discovered in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002.
The latest: The Texas A&M Forest Service confirmed this week that the beetle has been found in Grayson, Hill, Hood, McLennan and Palo Pinto counties.
Dallas, Denton, Parker and Tarrant counties remain in quarantine, meaning moving ash wood and hardwood firewood to other counties is prohibited.
Zoom in: The metallic-colored beetle has been found in four new areas of Dallas this month: near Texas Loop 12 and Interstate 30, by Interstate 635, around Northwest Highway, and in the Great Trinity Forest.
The borers were found in Dallas County traps in 2022.
Now more than a dozen Texas counties are quarantined.
How to help: Identify what type of trees you have in your yard. If you have any ash trees, monitor them for signs of distress, such as dead branches toward the top.
Contact an arborist if you suspect a tree is infested.
