Signs of EAB: Serpentine Galleries
Serpentine galleries beneath the bark are a key sign of EAB. These S-shaped ‘tunnels’ formed by larvae feeding on inner bark (phloem) disrupt transport of nutrients from trees to leaves. Galleries also score the outer sapwood, affecting water transport from roots to leaves. As larvae feed and grow, galleries become larger and frass accumulates behind the larvae. When affected sapwood dries out, a vertical split in the bark above the gallery may appear. Most EAB adults emerge in late spring, exiting through small D-shaped holes. Now that leaves have fallen, these signs of EAB will be easier to spot. Also look for larger holes in the bark left by woodpeckers. Woodpeckers of all sizes prey on large larvae during the winter.
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