Minneapolis to city residents: Don't prune ash trees

City officials in Minneapolis are asking residents to refrain from pruning ash trees in their yards in order to slow the spread of the emerald ash borer.

Officials say emerald ash borers, which kill ash trees by starving them of nutrients, are active between May 1 and Labor Day.

The beetle spreads when people move ash tree branches or firewood.

Ash trees make up about 20 percent of the tree canopy in Minneapolis, and officials anticipate that many of them will have to come down in the coming years.

A quarantine is in effect on ash trees, firewood and ash tree products in Hennepin, Ramsey and Houston counties -- the three counties where emerald ash borer has been found so far.

The emerald ash borer has been discovered in 13 states.

Residents unsure of whether they have ash trees can look for information here.