emerald ash borer

noun

|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Definition of emerald ash borer

: a metallic-green Asian beetle (Agrilus planipennis) accidentally introduced into the U.S. and having a destructive larva that bores into the wood of ash trees

Recent Examples of emerald ash borer from the Web

Treatments started three years before emerald ash borer was discovered in the city.

— lee bergquist, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Emerald ash borer continues to decimate trees 10 years after it was discovered in Wisconsin," 25 June 2018
The despised ash trees had to be cut down as the emerald ash borer laid waste to the cultivar across the Midwest.

— alexandra lange, Curbed, "Gateway to what?," 28 June 2018
Southfield Black Ash Basketry Kelly and Jeff Church will demonstrate how a basket is made, from pounding the log to weaving, and will also discuss the devastation of the emerald ash borer and its impact on the black ash trees.

— brendel hightower, Detroit Free Press, "Things to do in metro Detroit for the week of June 24 and beyond," 26 June 2018
The emerald ash borer has created issues for area municipalities shortly after it was first discovered in Illinois in 2006.

— phil rockrohr, chicagotribune.com, "Lake Zurich to replace 200 more trees this summer because of emerald ash borer," 22 June 2018
Then the emerald ash borer, a shiny green invasive insect, came to town.

— aubrey nagle, Philly.com, "Pa. baseball bat country in trouble, 'fair workweek' finds Council allies | Morning Newsletter," 14 June 2018
The killer is a shiny green insect from Asia called the emerald ash borer.

— frank fitzpatrick, Philly.com, "Ashes of an industry: A Pennsylvania tradition is dying, one baseball bat at a time," 14 June 2018
That will be even more important as tree pests, such as the emerald ash borer, move ever closer to Boston.

— david abel, BostonGlobe.com, "City fails in promise to plant 100,000 trees," 9 June 2018
If the Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer aren’t enough to give you the heebie-jeebies, meet the new bug to Southwest Ohio: the hemlock woolly adelgid.

— sheila vilvens, Cincinnati.com, "The latest invasive insect has 'sucking mouthparts' that kill hemlock trees," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emerald ash borer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.