Asian Longhorned Beetle
An alert citizen discovered the Asian Longhorned (ALB) in Worcester, MA in early August 2008. It is estimated that the population has been in existence there for as long as 15 years. A USDA Regulated Area for this infestation includes 74 square miles, portions of 5 towns in central MA, in which all firewood and woody debris must be handled according to strict rules.
This beetle kills trees! It arrives in North America in wooden pallets, crates and large wooden spools.
Once here, the adult beetle seeks healthy, live hardwood trees in which to lay eggs.
After several years of the beetles’ feeding on a tree, the tree dies. This outbreak in Massachusetts marks the first time that this destructive pest has been found so close to forested areas. A regional eradication program aims to halt this infestation. Join the effort to prevent its spread in Massachusetts’ forests!
What to Look For
Photos and Look‐alike Beetles at: www.massnrc.org/pests/albdocs/ALBLookalikes_Mas sachusetts.pdf
Think you have found one? Collect an adult beetle in a jar and freeze it until it can be identified.
Report ALB sightings at: www.massnrc.org/pests/albreport.aspx or call 1‐866‐702‐9938 (Pest Alert Hotline)
Trees Prone to Infestation
Preferred: Maple species (boxelder, red, Norway, silver, sugar, and occasional ornamental maples), Birches, Elms, Horsechestnut, Willow Others: Ash, European mountain‐ash, Hackberry, Katsura, Poplar, Sycamore and Plane trees
Signs to Look For
- Exit holes of the adult beetle in the trunks and branches of hardwood trees from 3/8” to 5/8” in diameter and perfectly round, as if made by an electric drill
- Large amounts of sawdust on the ground at the time of adult emergence
Stay tuned on the web!
- Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)
- www.massnrc.org/pests/alb
- City of Worcester, Office of the City Manager - www.worcesterma.gov/city‐manager
- or call 1‐508‐929‐1300
- UMass Extension • www.umassgreeninfo.org
