Asian Longhorned Beetle

The Asian Longhorned Beetle has infested trees in the Worcester, Massachusetts area. These pests are deadly to hardwood trees, particularly maples, and have no natural predators in the U.S. Eradication of the bugs requires removal and destruction of the host tree or a chemical treatment. As of fall, 2009, more than 25,000 trees have been destroyed in the Worcester area in an effort to stop the spread of these bugs, and tens of thousands more are slated for removal.

It is thought that ALB have been in the Worcester area for more than ten years, a reminder that lack of immediate evidence does not mean lack of the bugs themselves. All forest owners, particularly sugarmakers, should be taking extra steps to look for these beetles and report any findings.

There are many excellent resources online with more information about ALB.

The Massachusetts ALB Eradication Program site has many resources, including identification tips with photos, updated news items, regular newsletters, and information about regulation and compliance.

The Don't Move Firewood Campaign is an active effort to stop the spread of ALB by making people aware of the dangers of moving firewood from the quarantine zone.

BeetleBusters is also a good resource for aid in identifying the beetles.

Some recent articles include:

• Mass. getting $10M to fight beetles, 9/24/09

• A tiny beetle carries a big threat, 9/24/09

• Asian longhorned beetle continues migration, 9/17/09

• One year after 1st report in Worcester, tree experts fear Asian longhorned beetles will devastate other parts of Massachusetts, 8/1/09