Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)

Invader Type: 
  • Pest

SPECIES UPDATE

04/01/13
Infestation, surveying up in Shrewsbury
03/15/13
Urgent Alert:
New Jersey says it has booted the Asian longhorned beetle
12/11/12
Firewood Exchange Nabs Wood from States with EAB and ALB Quarantines

Photos

Photos: 

Description

Identification: 

What does Asian Longhorned Beetle look like? Check out APHIS's Asian Longhorned Beetle website.

 

What is being done about it?

A variety of tactics are being employed to eradicate Asian longhorned beetle infestations. Quarantines prohibit movement of host material (including firewood or nursery stock) outside of regulated areas. Following annual surveys, all infested trees are removed. In addition, other susceptible trees nearby may be removed or treated with chemicals. These strategies have already been declared successful in Chicago, Toronto, New Jersey, and parts of New York, where the beetle hasn’t been seen for years. In the infested towns in Massachusetts over 30,000 trees have been removed.  More information on how to deal with this insect can be found at the management link below.

What are we doing in Vermont?

The Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation is collaborating with the Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, the University of Vermont, USDA APHIS and the U.S. Forest Service to address the threat Asian longhorned beetle. Our programs have benefitted from the assistance of VT Forest Pest First Detectors, and numerous community and industry groups.

  • Surveys – We have conducted surveys of 133 federal, state and private campgrounds and in high-risk towns.  Forestry staff is on constant alert for symptoms and signs of Asian longhorned beetle attack.  We follow up on any inquiries about potential sightings or infestations.

  • Public Outreach – We are continuing public awareness efforts through presentations and press releases, with special focus on discouraging the movement of firewood and other wood products that may be routes of entry. We have contacted over 200 residents of infested areas in Massachusetts with property in Vermont to ensure that they have not brought potentially infested material to the state.

  • Action Plan – An action plan has been developed to improve our ability to respond in the event that the Asian longhorned beetle is discovered in Vermont.

Reproductive Strategy / Lifecycle: 

Learn about the biology of Asian Longhorned Beetle at the USDA APHIS Beetle Busters site.

Hosts and Signs / Symptoms: 

Learn the signs and symptoms of Asian Longhorned Beetle in the following training manual: 'Detecting the Signs and Symptoms of Asian Longhorned Beetle Injury' - pdf.

 

Recommendations

  • Do not move firewood.  Buy firewood from the area you're visiting. Ask your supplier where their wood comes from.  The Green Mountain National Forest and Vermont State Parks restrict the use of non-local firewood.

  • When purchasing trees from other states, check that they have been certified free of Asian longhorned beetle.

  • Familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of Asian longhorned beetle presence or attack, and keep your eyes open for potential infestations.  Check backyard trees, street trees, and all hardwoods except oak.  Search for exit holes, egg deposit sites, piles of frass at the base of infested trees and in branch crotches, and sap leaking from wounds in the trees.

  • Take action. Vermonters can learn more about how to get involved.

History: 
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis,is an invasive insect that feeds on certain species of hardwood trees, eventually killing them. Also known as the Starry Sky or Sky Beetle, the ALB is native to eastern Japan, and Korea. ALB attacks a variety of native hardwood species, including maple, birch, elm, poplar, horse chestnut and willow. Upon hatching, the larvae tunnel through the heartwood of a host tree until fully grown. They then burrow out of the trunk as adult beetles. This process weakens the wood, making it prone to breakage, and can cause tree health to decline. Outbreaks of this beetle pose a severe threat to even perfectly healthy trees in both forests and urban and suburban landscapes. The ALB has now been accidentally introduced from Asia to the United States as well as Canada and several countries in Europe. In the United States, it was first discovered in Brooklyn, New York in 1996; most likely transported inside wood packing material. The beetle has caused tens of thousands of trees to be destroyed in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. About half of Vermont’s trees are susceptible to Asian longhorned beetle. This insect will have a major impact if it becomes established in Vermont.
Links: 

Resources

Vermont Pest Update

Asian Longhorned Beetle and its Host Trees

APHIS ALB website

USDA-APHIS-PPQ

USDA-Forest Service

Canadian Food Inspection Agency ALB Page

Don’t Move Firewood

National Invasive Species Information Center

National Agricultural Pest Information System-Pest Tracker

New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse

Threat

Ecological Threat: 

Learn the host trees to Asian Longhorned Beetle at the USDA APHIS Beetle Busters site and listed by preference.

Distribution: 

Where is ALB? Check out the "Where is it" tab on APHIS's Beetle Busters site for the most current distribution map of Asian Longhorned Beetle in North America.

A native of East Asia, Asian longhorned beetle was first discovered in the U.S. in New York City in 1996, and has also been found in Chicago, Toronto and New Jersey.  In August, 2008, an infestation was found in Worcester, MA, 45 miles from VT. As of October 2011, a 110-sq. mile area is under quarantine because of the infestation. This area continues to expand as additional surveys are completed.  A small group of infested trees was detected in Boston in 2010, and in 2011, an infestation was found in southwestern Ohio.