Ash borer is found in another Nebraska county

LINCOLN — The destructive emerald ash borer has been detected in two more Nebraska counties — Lincoln County, home of North Platte, and in the Shubert area of Nemaha County.

That makes 12 counties, mostly in eastern Nebraska, where the invasive beetle has been detected, according to the Neb. Dept. of Agriculture.

Emerald ash borers, which attack and kill ash trees, were first discovered in Nebraska in 2016.

Counties where ash borers have been confirmed, besides the two new ones, are: Cass, Buffalo, Dodge, Platte, Douglas, Hall, Lancaster, Sarpy, Seward and Washington.

Infested ash trees will show thinning or dying branches in the top of the tree, S-shaped larval galleries under bark, D-shaped exit holes and suckers along the trunk and main branches.

While it’s difficult to stop the spread of the borer, state entomologist Natalia Bjorklund said there are many ways to try and protect ash trees.