How To Get Rid Of Asian Longhorn Beetles?

Asian longhorn beetles are potent enough to cause a catastrophic impact on our hardwood industry. While there aren’t many ways to get rid of them, we will list some things that you can do in this article.

Asian Longhorn beetles are known as dangerous species of beetle that feed on the living tissue of hardwood trees.

They are known for their penchant for damaging maples, mulberries, horse chestnuts, and similar trees.

These insects came to America a few years ago and have been spreading in many states.

There aren’t many ways to get rid of them currently apart from tree removal, so as of now, the best option is to simply remove the tree and those surrounding it to stop their spread.

What are Asian Longhorn Beetles?

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) falls under the order Coleoptera and belongs to the family Cerambycidae.

As the name suggests, Asian longhorn beetles are native to Asian countries, particularly China and Korea. But in recent years, they have traveled to the United States and have now become a serious pest here.

Adult beetles have glossy black bodies which can measure from 0.7 to 1.6 inches in length. The bodies have a yellow of white spot on their wing covers.

They also have two long antennae that have 11 segments. The antennae of the males are almost twice their body length, and in females, they are 1.5 times the length.

The long antennae are the reason why these bugs are called long horns.

The lifecycle of the Asian Longhorn varies from two to three years. The adults show maximum activity during summer months, whereas the larvae spend their entire time inside their host trees.

Why are Asian Longhorn Beetles So Dangerous?

These beetles are a blight upon hardwood trees. They can completely destroy hardwood trees by eating them from the outside to their very core.

The female beetle enters the tree by chewing the bark and then lays her eggs inside. The eggs hatch into larvae that dig deep tunnels inside the bark.

The larvae feed on the tissues of the trees, sucking the plant sap and thus interfering with the food transport system of the tree.

By sucking out the plant sap from the middle, they make the upper parts of the tree nutrient-starved, thus causing it to wither away and the leaves to yellow.

Additionally, many studies have shown that these species of beetles can fly through several blocks in the city to find a new host tree, which can spread the infestation very quickly.

Fortunately, Asian longhorn horned beetles prefer laying eggs on the same tree on which they grew up.

Economic Impact

Maples are the preferred host plants of Asian Long-horned beetles. When the insect destroys maple trees, it impacts syrup production and the maple syrup industry.

Maple syrup is a $1.6bn industry, and these bugs can spread quickly and destroy entire forests of maple trees, causing losses worth billions of dollars.

Maple trees are not only good for obtaining tasty maple syrup but are also used in the manufacture of hardwood furniture and floors.

The ALB larvae make these trees dangerously hollow by building galleries inside the wood. This makes the wood incapable of milling, creating a huge loss for the entire hardwood industry.

Another important impact of these insects is that their larval galleries disrupt the structure and supporting tissues of the sugar maples.

This causes the tree’s branches to fall off when it is windy, disrupting power lines and roads and falling on unsuspecting pedestrians.

What Are The Signs of Infestation?

The telltale sign of infested trees is possession of wilted leaves and canopy dieback.

Another common sign is round exit holes the size of a penny, which the beetle larvae create to emerge as adults. This happens around July.

These exit holes are quite deep. If you try inserting a pencil in the exit hole, you will find that it will go in 1-inch deep.

Additionally, you can find round, ½ inch depressions in the outer bark, which are egg-laying sites for these bugs.

You might also notice a clear or yellowing fluid coming out of the tree, which actually plants cell sap oozing out of the exit holes.

Another tell-tale sign of their infestation is the mess they create at the bottom of the tree, which consists of sawdust and frass.

What Are The Actions Being Taken To Curb Its Spread?

The ALB first came to America in untreated wooden boxes, and this is the primary way in which they are traveling between states right now.

To curb this problem, the government has set International standards that make treating wooden materials with chemicals necessary.

The wood for packing materials is first kiln-dried and then chemically treated to keep away any microbes.

The government has also declared certain regions as quarantines to prevent the spread of these beetles from one to another tree.

One of the major areas of the infestation right now is New York City.

The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets have worked together to investigate susceptible trees.

NYS department operates functions such as removal of nearby trees and chemical treatments on trees to eliminate the beetle pest in the cities of New York City and Long Island.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

Asian longhorns can cause both economic and ecological impacts. Thus many government organizations are working to control them right now.

We shared some ways to detect their presence in this article. As of now, the best thing you can do is to be vigilant and if you find any of these signs on a tree near you, inform the proper authorities immediately.

Thank you for reading!