Emerald ash borer

Also called EAB, Agrilus planipennis

An invasive beetle first detected near Detroit and Windsor in 2002 that kills up to 99% of ash trees within eight to ten years of establishing.

The Invasive Species Centre records that up to 99% of ash trees are killed by the emerald ash borer within 8 to 10 years of its establishment, and that it was first detected near Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario in 2002.

The flooring consequence is visible in the inventory. White ash is the only one of the six species used in this market where annual harvest exceeds annual growth — 3.3 million cubic metres grown against 6.9 million harvested, on the American Hardwood Export Council’s figures. Every other species in the set shows growth at roughly double harvest.

That inversion is salvage, not demand. Standing ash is being cut ahead of an insect. A homeowner specifying ash should order the whole floor, the waste allowance and a stored repair allowance in one purchase, because a matching reorder in five years cannot be promised by anyone.