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 spring 2016 more than 34,000 trees have been destroyed in the Worcester area in an effort to stop the spread of these bugs, and many more are slated for removal.

It is thought that ALB werein the Worcester area for more than ten years before they were spotted, 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. Good flier with pictures of ALB and look-alikes.

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.

Lurking in the Trees is a film about the ALB outbreak in MA.