What You Should Know about the Asian Long Horned Beetle

• The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) was first discovered in Brooklyn, NY in 1996.  Since then it has been found in several other sites around New York City and in New Jersey. Several infested trees were removed from Central Park, where over 20,000 potential host trees grow.

• It was discovered in Chicago in July 1998. New infestations in that area continue to be found, including in the wooded Lincoln Park.

• It was discovered in Jersey City, NJ, across the river from NYC in October 2002. Inspectors believe this infestation started 4-5 years ago. About 100 trees have been cut down.  Because they are all located on land owned by one person, eradication is expected to be easier.

• Around 6,000 trees have been cut down and destroyed to eradicate ALB from New York and over 1,500 trees in Chicago. Infested trees continue to be discovered. Surveys will continue for several years and all infested trees will be destroyed until no beetles are found.

• ALB and other related species have been intercepted in warehouses in several states (PA, MI, WI, IL, OH, CA, TX, NJ, SC, NC, FL, WA, IN, NY, HI).  It has also been found in Canadian warehouses.

• ALB is not known to occur in trees in any states except New York, New Jersey & Illinois. Infestations have been found in Austria and Italy.

• Effective survey is difficult, resulting in infested trees going undetected. The general public has found most of the infestations. Their help with finding infested trees is critical.

• ALB usually enters the U.S. in solid wood packing materials (pallets, crates, dunnage, etc.) used in shipments of pipe, granite blocks, and heavy machinery.

• Sugar maple is a favored ALB host. They also feed on other maple species (e.g., Norway), birch, horse chestnut, willow, poplar, ash, black locust, apple and more.

• ALB kills trees.  Limbs weakened by ALB feeding are a risk in sugarbushes and forests as well as urban and suburban areas.

• Based on its distribution in China, researchers believe that ALB is able to survive climatic conditions that exist from southern Canada to Virginia.

• Over $2.4 billion has been spent so far on eradicating the ALB.

• All ALB infestations are believed to originate in China, but it occurs in other Asian countries.

• Research is underway to develop biological and chemical controls, as well as effective survey methods.

• To reduce risks of the entry of this beetle, the USDA implemented an Interim Rule requiring that all solid wood packing material from China be treated before shipment to the U.S.

• The USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is treating thousands of trees around the infested areas in New York City and Chicago with the systemic insecticide, imidacloprid, in the hope of decreasing the number of ALB and preventing further infestations.

Visit the following web pages for more information:

UVM: http://www.uvm.edu/albeetle

Forest Service: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/alb/index.htm

ASIAN LONG HORNED BEETLE ACTION PLAN