EU Activates Quarantine Measures: Emerald Ash Borer Discovered in Hungary – Austria Tightens Surveillance

The finds mark a significant jump in the spread of the pest. The discovery region lies 500 kilometers west of the previously known infestation area and is 350 kilometers from Austria. "Der gleichzeitige Fund an zwei Orten lässt vermuten, dass der Eschenprachtkäfer in dieser Region schon verbreitet ist", explains Gernot Hoch from the Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW).

Spread from Eastern Europe

The beetles initially made their way from East Asia to Russia and then further into Ukraine. "Aufgrund des Krieges konnten dort keine wirksamen Pflanzenschutzmaßnahmen umgesetzt werden", it was stated by the Ministry of Agriculture. The emerald ash borer can itself only fly a few hundred meters, but instead spreads through transportation via rail and road traffic, such as with wood shipments.

In the past, the beetle had already caused the death of thousands of ash trees in North America and Russia. "Für die dortigen Bäume stellen weder Käfer noch Pilz eine Bedrohung dar, für europäische Eschen allerdings sehr wohl." The also-affected snowflake bushes may only be imported if they were grown at least 100 kilometers away from the infestation zone.

"Ein Eschenprachtkäfer legt seine Eier an der Rinde von Eschen ab." The larvae then hatch and burrow their way winding into the cambium, a thin layer of growth tissue between bark and wood. When the larval galleries wind all the way around the trunk or branch, it is "girdled" and the transport of nutrients for the part above is interrupted.

Life Cycle and Damage

For the trees, this means a lingering death that continues over several years. Often the crown is affected first, then the trunk. Infested ash trees slowly die off, with the additional danger that they can fall more easily during storms.

An additional threat is considered to be ash dieback, also a fungal disease from Asia. It is suspected that ash dieback fungi make the trees more susceptible to the emerald ash borer, as Gernot Hoch explains. The combination of two pests increases the pressure on Europe's ash tree populations.

Measures in Austria

"Auch in Österreich wurden die EU-Maßnahmen ergriffen." The Ministry of Agriculture announced: "In Österreich werde nun auch die Überwachung mittels Lockstofffallen verstärkt." "Besonderes Augenmerk gilt Standorten entlang wichtiger Verkehrswege sowie Regionen mit intensiven Verkehrs- und Warenverbindungen zur Ukraine", explains the BFW.

Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) announced concrete preparations: "Für den Ernstfall liegt ein spezifischer Notfallplan für den Asiatischen Eschenprachtkäfer vor, um eine Ausbreitung des Schädlings bestmöglich zu verhindern und unsere Wälder zu schützen", he explains. With this, the Republic is responding to the emergency situation that has escalated with the discoveries on the Hungarian-Slovak border.

Experts emphasize that early detection is crucial in order to contain the spread. The pheromone traps along traffic routes are intended to help track down the beetle before it establishes itself in Austria and to initiate targeted countermeasures.