BOSTON (WHDH) - Massachusetts residents are being urged to be on watch as invasive beetles begin to emerge from trees across the state.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it has declared August as “Tree Check Month” because it is the peak time of year to spot the Asian longhorned beetle.
Checking trees for the beetle and the damage it causes is one way residents can protect their own trees and help efforts to eliminate this beetle from the United States, the USDA said.
“We need the public’s help to find new areas where the beetle has spread, because finding it sooner means fewer trees will become infested,” said Josie Ryan, USDA APHIS’ National Operations Manager for the ALB Eradication Program.
A portion of Worcester County remains under a federal quarantine for the beetle and the movement of wood out of the area is not allowed, according to the USDA. The most recent infested tree was removed from the town of Auburn in March.
The Asian longhorned beetle attacks 12 types of hardwood trees in North America, including maples, elms, horse chestnuts, birches, and willows.
In its larval stage, the insect feeds inside tree trunks and branches during the colder months, the USDA said. The beetle creates tunnels as it feeds, then chews its way out as an adult in the warmer months.
Infested trees do not recover and eventually die.
The beetle has distinctive markings that are easy to recognize:
- Black and white antennae that are longer than the insect’s body
- A shiny black body with white spots that is about 1” to 1 ½” long
- Six legs and feet that can appear bluish-colored
If possible, residents should take pictures and capture suspicious insects in a durable container and freeze them, which helps preserve the insect for identification.
Residents can report the insect or tree damage by calling the ALB hotline at 1-866-702-9938 or reporting online at www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com.
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