Peter Benz Landscaping

Untreated vs. treated tree

As a part of our plant health care services, Peter Benz Landscaping specializes in the treatment and prevention of the highly destructive Emerald Ash Borer in Pennsylvania.

See How Emerald Ash Borer Kills An Ash Tree

First documented case of an Emerald Ash Borer infestation in Warrington PA

The flying insect was first discovered in the summer of 2002 in the Detroit area. Making its way across the country, the pest has killed 50 to 60 million trees from Michigan through Pennsylvania. It's presence was documented in Warrington, PA in the spring of 2012 and has since spread throughout the Bucks and Montgomery County area. At this point it is believed that these insects are now in our local wood products, such as mulch and wood chips, and are expected to continue rapidly spreading.

Please see the bottom of this page for our Guarantee.

The Emerald Ash Borer pest, if left unchecked and untreated, will kill each and every Ash tree in our area. Ash trees make up nearly 20% of our local Bucks and Montgomery County trees. The adult insects land in the tops of the ash tree and lay eggs in bark crevices. Weeks later the larva hatch and immediately bore through the bark and start feeding, cutting off the vascular flow of the tree. Unfortunately, by the time the borer activity is noticed in your ash tree, the top 25-30% of the tree will likely need to be removed. Left untreated, an infected ash tree can be killed within three years after it is attacked by the Emerald Ash Borer, but with the proper treatment a tree can be saved and protected against future borer attacks. 

Immediate preventative treatment is suggested to avoid costly and unsightly destruction which would result in tree topping or eventual loss of the Ash tree. This is not a matter of 'if', but 'when' will my Ash trees be infected with the Emerald Ash Borer.

Peter Benz Landscaping will evaluate your landscape to determine which Ash trees are valuable and worth protecting; and which trees should be removed and/or replaced depending on their condition and location.

For accurate diagnosis, Peter Benz, a certified and licensed pesticide applicator, will come to your property to inspect your trees and propose a customized treatment plan.

Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Options:

PBL offers two treatment options that have both been proven to be very effective in preventing trees from dying before or after an Emerald Ash Borer infestation.

Soil Injection: Xytect® 2F (active ingredient, imidicloprid) has been shown to be effective with small ash trees, especially those which are not large enough to be treated by trunk injection.

• Applied annually
• Proven effective when used according to directions, for a minimum of one year
• Soil injection by a professional applicator 
• Offers an extremely accurate way to apply without worry of run-off
• Cannot be used when tree is in close proximity to water (in this situation, trunk injections of this material are available)

Tree Injection: TREE-äge® (active ingredient, emamectin benzoate) has been shown to be the most effective treatment on medium and large ash trees.

•  Applied every 2 years
• Proven effective when used according to directions, for a minimum of two years
• Tree trunk injection by a professional applicator
• Does not affect any other plants in area
• Can be used around bodies of water and wet areas

Organic Tree Injection: Treeazin® (active ingredient Azadirachtin, an extract of Neem tree seeds)

Peter Benz Landscaping Inc. Guarantees:

Your  TREE-äge® treated Ash tree will not die from an Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation while under our guarantee. If your Ash tree dies from an EAB infestation while under guarantee, you will be refunded your EAB treatment cost(s) for up to the previous four years.

• We will deliver treatments using research tested products using the most up to date protocols to provide for optimal effectiveness.
• We will visually inspect your protected tree(s) every 1-2 years to examine for evidence of Emerald Ash Borer infestation. This inspection may take place at the time of re- treatment. We are available to look at your tree at any time should you be concerned about its condition.
• This guarantee is fully transferable to a new property owner.

Our trunk injected TREE-äge® EAB guarantee will begin upon treatment and will last for two years from the date of treatment. The guarantee will not lapse if the re-treatment has been approved prior to the expiration of the two year warranty period and your account is in good standing.

Biennial treatment reminders: You will be contacted about re-treatment in the spring of the year your tree(s) are due for re-protection.

Trees protected from Emerald Ash Borer infestation will still be attacked by Emerald Ash Borer. It is possible that a small amount of a tree’s canopy may decline or dieback under heavy pressure. Tree removal, routine pruning or deadwood removal caused by Emerald Ash Borer larva is NOT covered under this guarantee.

Peter Benz Landscaping's treatment program has been proven to be highly effective in University research in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois where Emerald Ash Borer has destroyed much of the ash tree population.

A program of sustained treatment will be needed to conserve trees through peak EAB infestation. However, as the local EAB population declines due to death of untreated ash, it is possible that treatment frequency may be reduced. Research on this question and other aspects of EAB management is ongoing.

Contact us if you have any ash trees on your property you would like us to inspect and possibly treat to restore the health of your property.

Peter B. Benz - PD-2286A