Asian Longhorned Beetle
Adults feed on leaves and twigs; larvae feed directly on critical bark layers. Repeated attacks lead to dieback of the tree crown and eventually death.
Common Name: Asian Longhorned Beetle
Scientific Name: Anoplophora glabripennis
Native Range: Asia
Background
Asian longhorned beetles attack hardwood trees including maple, horse chestnut, and ash, and can survive in most regions of the country where host trees exist.
Other common names: horned water chestnut, water caltrop
Identification
Asian longhorned beetles have a glossy black body with white spots on top of their wings. Adults are 3/4″ to 1″ long. Antennae are roughly twice the body length with distinctive black and white bands. The legs and antennae may have a bluish tinge. Adults are present from July to October.
This forest pest leaves round exit holes in host trees that are 3/8″ to 3/4″ in diameter. Sawdust (frass) often accumulates on twigs or near the host tree. Dead and dying tree limbs with yellowing leaves are also a common sign of an infestation.
Impact
Adults feed on leaves and twigs; larvae feed directly on critical bark layers. Repeated attacks lead to dieback of the tree crown and eventually death.
Management Techniques
The only management technique for Asian longhorned beetle is to destroy infested trees. Prevent the spread of ALB by not moving untreated firewood out of USDA declared quarentine zones.
Native Lookalikes
Asian longhorned beetles closely resemble the native whitespotted pine sawyer. ALB lacks a white spot between its elytra (wing covers), which is present on the pine sawyer.
