Asain Longhorned Beetle

Photo credit: APHIS photos by Ken La

The borough of Brooklyn has the unfortunate honor of being the first place that the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) was spotted in the United States. It has since been found elsewhere in the New York metropolitan area, including Manhattan, Queens, and Long Island, as well in Chicago, Illinois. The beetle most likely arrived in Brooklyn from Asia on green wooden "dunnage"—the packing crates and pallets used to import goods from overseas. Beetles have been intercepted at ports in several states, but have only escaped detection in New York and Illinois.

Why Is the Beetle Such a Pest?
It attacks many hardwood trees of major economic, environmental, and aesthetic value, including all

Maples

Horsechestnuts

Birches

Willows

Elms

Poplars

Green ash, and

Black locusts

Adult beetles can be seen from around May to October. An adult female beetle lays up to 70 eggs before dying, depositing each one in its own site just beneath the bark. When the larvae hatch, they eat their way through the tree, girdling stems and branches and causing structural damage. After the larvae pupate, they tunnel out of the tree, leaving a hole (3/8 inch and larger) when they exit. Eventually, this damage kills the tree.

The only way to destroy the beetle is to cut down, chip, and incinerate the infested tree. Do not attempt to dispose of infested trees yourself! Instead, contact the Department of Agriculture in your state.

What to Look For:

The beetles are 3/4 inch to 1-1/4 inches long.

Their black bodies have mottled white spots.

They have black and white striped antennae, 1 to 2 times their body length.

Since the beetle spends most of its life inside the tree and out of our sight, it is difficult to spot. Look instead for signs of its presence:

Unusual die-back of branches and limbs

Oval or round shallow pits in the bark (these are egg sites)

Oozing sap

Piles of frass (looks like sawdust) around the base of the tree or in the crooks of branches

Round holes (3/8 inch in diameter or larger) on the main trunk or branches

Quarantine Zones:
While the Asian Longhorned Beetle can fly, adults tend to stay close to where they hatch. Human transport of infested firewood or woody plant material is thought to be the main vector for the spread of the beetle. For this reason, the states of New York and Illinois have enacted quarantine zones. People handling woody material greater than 1/2 inch in diameter may not move material across the zone or discard wood. Landscaping companies handling host material are required to undergo compliance training.

What Can YOU Do?

Examine trees in your neighborhood for signs of the Asian Longhorned Beetle.

If you think you've found a beetle, collect a specimen in a glass jar, put the jar in the freezer, and call one of the numbers listed below to notify officials.

Don't plant host species! Planting species that the beetle loves to eat only spreads the outbreak. Ask your local nursery to suggest substitutes.

Don't move or discard wood across a quarantine zone