Emerald ash borer has moved through Kingston and the surrounding area, and I have taken down many ash trees because of it. If your ash still has most of its canopy, I can inject it and keep it alive on a treatment cycle. If the crown is already dead or dying from the top down, removal becomes urgent because brittle ash is genuinely dangerous to climb and unpredictable to fell.
What emerald ash borer actually is
Emerald ash borer is a small metallic green beetle, roughly the size of a grain of rice, that arrived in North America from Asia and has spread across Ontario over the past two decades. The insect lays eggs in the bark of ash trees, and when the larvae hatch, they tunnel under the bark in distinctive S-shaped galleries. These galleries cut off the flow of water and nutrients, starving the tree from the inside.
You spot the damage by looking for small D-shaped exit holes in the bark where adult beetles have emerged, and by peeling back loose bark to reveal those characteristic S-shaped tunnels underneath. The tree does not fight back effectively, so once the borer gets a foothold, it spreads fast. Every ash species in Ontario is vulnerable, whether it is a black ash, green ash, or white ash.
Why it matters in Kingston
Stopping emerald ash borer matters because an infested ash that you leave standing will weaken and eventually die. A dead ash becomes a hazard: the wood becomes brittle and unpredictable to climb, and branches fail without warning, especially after ice storms or heavy wind. If the tree hangs over a house, a driveway, or a power line, a falling branch is not just an inconvenience; it is a safety and liability issue.
Treating a healthy or early-stage ash costs less than removing a large dead tree, and it lets you keep a mature tree that has taken decades to grow. I inject trees preventatively or at the first signs of infestation to interrupt the borer's life cycle and buy the tree years of health. If removal is necessary, I do it safely and clean up the wood so your yard is back to normal. The sooner you act, the more options you have.
When to do emerald ash borer?
The signs of emerald ash borer are visible year-round, but they become clearest in late spring and early summer when the canopy is full and you can see which trees are thinning. Look for the crown to thin from the top down first, as if someone is slowly erasing the upper branches. You will also notice shoots, called epicormic growth, breaking out along the trunk and main limbs, which the tree puts out as a stress response.
The bark may split vertically in long cracks, and if you peel it back gently, you will see the S-shaped galleries and small D-shaped holes underneath. I recommend inspecting your ash trees in late spring and calling me right away if you spot these signs. Treatment is most effective when the tree still has vigour, so waiting until the canopy is half-dead makes the job much harder. If you are not sure whether a tree is infested, I can come out and diagnose it during a free estimate.
How I work in the Kingston area
When you call me at (343) 505-6691, I will ask you to describe the ash tree and what you have noticed. If it sounds like emerald ash borer, I will schedule a visit to confirm the diagnosis and assess the tree's condition. I charge nothing for this estimate, and I will tell you honestly whether the tree can be saved or needs to come down.
If the tree is a good candidate for treatment, I inject it with an approved insecticide that moves through the tree's vascular system and kills the larvae inside. The injection is done in early spring before the beetles emerge, and most ash trees need treatment every year or every other year to stay protected. I will set you on a schedule and remind you when the next treatment is due.
If removal is necessary, I fell the tree safely, cut it into manageable pieces, chip the brush, and haul away the debris. I leave your yard clean and ready to use. I can also grind the stump if you want it gone completely, or leave it for you to deal with later.
The different cases
The healthy ash with no visible signs. If you have an ash tree that looks fine but you want to protect it, I can start preventative injections. This is common in Kingston because many of the ash still standing here are the ones somebody paid to protect years ago. Preventative treatment costs less than waiting until the tree is infested.
The ash with early signs of infestation. The crown is thinning, you see a few D-shaped holes, or the bark is starting to split. The tree still has most of its canopy. I can inject it and usually save it, but you need to act quickly. Waiting another season makes the outcome much less certain.
The ash with a dead or dying crown. The top third or more of the canopy is bare, or the whole upper half is thin and grey. The tree is too far gone to save with injection. I recommend removal because the wood is brittle and dangerous to climb, and it will fail in a storm. Removing it now prevents a much bigger emergency later.
The ash that has already fallen or is leaning. If the tree is down or unstable, I will remove it and clean up the site safely. Storm-damaged ash is especially tricky because the wood is unpredictable, so I do this work carefully and only when conditions are right.
