Asian Long-Horned Beetle: The Next Big Bug
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Remember the hoopla about the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)? How it seemed like that was all we were hearing about for months? Remember watching the Ash trees slowly decline and eventually disappear from city streets and parkways? Guess what? It’s happening again, and this time, it’s a different beetle.
The Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) was first detected in New York City in 1996 and has been devastating city trees throughout the Northeast and Midwest. It was first detected in Ohio in 2011, and we anticipate it moving into our area. While we have no desire to be alarmists, we believe that it’s our responsibility to inform our clients about new threats to their trees and to teach them how to manage this pest. |
What does the ALB look like?
The adult ALB is a large insect that can only be seen from late spring to fall. Adults are glossy black with irregular white spots like stars on the wing (a fact that inspired the Chinese to label this bug the “Midnight Sky Bug”). There IS another form of this bug with yellow spots, but it’s pretty rare. The body size of an adult beetle ranges from 3/4 of an inch to about an inch and a quarter. Males have extremely long antennae, while a female’s antennae are about the same length as her body.
How does the ALB damage trees?
Adults chew holes in tree trunks to deposit their eggs. They make a hole for every egg they lay; each egg is the size of a grain of rice, so the holes are somewhat larger. Newly hatched larvae feed on the sapwood within the hole for the first several stages of life. This feeding produces sawdust and creates small tunnels leading away from the egg site. As the larvae grow, they create deeper, larger tunnels into the tree, destroying it as they move. Newly adult beetles exit the tree through perfectly round holes about the size of a dime! After exiting the tree, adults will feed on leaves and bark until they seek a mate, after which the process begins again. As you can see, this life cycle can be devastating to a tree!
What trees are susceptible to the ALB?
The ALB’s preferred host trees are primarily Maples, Birch, Willow, Elm and Box Elders, although they will also feed on Ash Trees, Cottonwood, Poplar, Aspen and a few other less common trees.
How do I know if my tree is infested?
First, you’ll begin to see entry and exit holes in the trunk of your tree. Sap may drip from these holes, attracting bees, wasps and flies. Structural damage may occur as a result of the tunneling (which weakens the wood). Also, trees may show early coloration as a result of the stress they’re experiencing.
What do I do if I’m worried about the ALB?
Contact us at the office and we’ll be glad to help you!
The adult ALB is a large insect that can only be seen from late spring to fall. Adults are glossy black with irregular white spots like stars on the wing (a fact that inspired the Chinese to label this bug the “Midnight Sky Bug”). There IS another form of this bug with yellow spots, but it’s pretty rare. The body size of an adult beetle ranges from 3/4 of an inch to about an inch and a quarter. Males have extremely long antennae, while a female’s antennae are about the same length as her body.
How does the ALB damage trees?
Adults chew holes in tree trunks to deposit their eggs. They make a hole for every egg they lay; each egg is the size of a grain of rice, so the holes are somewhat larger. Newly hatched larvae feed on the sapwood within the hole for the first several stages of life. This feeding produces sawdust and creates small tunnels leading away from the egg site. As the larvae grow, they create deeper, larger tunnels into the tree, destroying it as they move. Newly adult beetles exit the tree through perfectly round holes about the size of a dime! After exiting the tree, adults will feed on leaves and bark until they seek a mate, after which the process begins again. As you can see, this life cycle can be devastating to a tree!
What trees are susceptible to the ALB?
The ALB’s preferred host trees are primarily Maples, Birch, Willow, Elm and Box Elders, although they will also feed on Ash Trees, Cottonwood, Poplar, Aspen and a few other less common trees.
How do I know if my tree is infested?
First, you’ll begin to see entry and exit holes in the trunk of your tree. Sap may drip from these holes, attracting bees, wasps and flies. Structural damage may occur as a result of the tunneling (which weakens the wood). Also, trees may show early coloration as a result of the stress they’re experiencing.
What do I do if I’m worried about the ALB?
Contact us at the office and we’ll be glad to help you!
