What Problems Do Asian Longhorn Beetles Cause?

A lot of hue and cry has been made over the spread of the Asian Longhorn Beetles in the US in recent years, and in this article, we will tell you exactly why they are so dangerous.

Could you ever think that a small beetle is capable enough of toppling down massive healthy trees? Yes, it is true.

The Asian longhorn beetles are known for their ability to destroy backyard trees by boring continuous network tunnels through the bark.

In this article, we will take a closer look at these insects and the extent of damage they are capable of inflicting. It will share details on how to control these pests.

What Is the Asian Long-Horned Beetle?

The Asian longhorn beetle, also scientifically known as Anoplophora glabripennis, is a member of the vast beetles family that poses a significant threat to a wide range of healthy trees.

These beetles are majorly found in China and neighboring countries. The adult beetles have a glossy black body with an irregular network of white spots on them.

They have 0.75 to 1.25 inches long bodies (this excludes the length of the antennae).

The Asian longhorn beetle larvae feed on the wood of trees by boring tunnels in the trunk of healthy living trees.

How Do Asian Longhorn Beetles Kill Trees?

The adult female beetles lay eggs on chewed depressions that they create in various hardwood trees.

Once these eggs hatch, the beetle larva starts tunneling across the bark of the tree. They create tunnels through different layers of the trees to consume wood.

These larvae spend nearly two to three years inside the host tree.

After constant chewing and tunneling, the larvae reach the woody tissue of the healthy tree and continue to feed on the same, making the tree nearly hollow from the inside.

When the larvae emerge from the tree, they leave behind large gaps of 3/8inch diameter, which allows tree sap to flow from them.

This makes it worse for the poor tree since it weakens it structurally and makes it susceptible to other diseases and pests.

In some cases, the trees become so structurally weak that a strong gust of wind can knock them over.

Which Trees Does it Target?

These beetles often select trees where they can complete their entire lifecycle without having to change their hosts.

In the US, they choose hardwood trees like mountain ashes, sugar maple, chestnut, willow, and more. All of these are economically important trees.

In China, Korea, and other Asian countries, it has infested trees like poplars and mulberries.

What is The Asian Longhorned Beetle’s Damage To the Economy?

We already mentioned that the Asian longhorn beetle could cause significant economic losses.

But how are they capable of doing so? When these insects occupy trees near the street, there is a high chance that these trees might fall at any given point due to a lack of strength.

Thus, they must be removed immediately, and proper treatment must be given to eradicate these insects from the region.

The cost of repairing and replacing the street trees and clearing the ALB population from the area is almost $100 per infested tree.

If these pests enter a forest range, the economic damage can be far more significant.

A complete infestation of these beetles in a well-grown forest of hardwood trees can heavily impact the export market for almost all hardwood products.

Thus, these insects can cause a loss of billions of dollars if they are not stopped. Adding to that, the cost of containment and eradication will also be high.

Where Has This Beetle Spread in the US?

The longhorn beetle was first discovered in New York City and Chicago. Here they were spotted destroying ornamental trees.

Since then, regular detections of these insects have been made in the northeastern part of the United States.

It is conjectured that these bugs entered the US via untreated wooden crates and packaging material from China.

What Can Be Done To Control It?

These pests have some natural enemies, like the woodpecker and red wood ants, but external measures must be taken to eradicate them.

People often use pathogens to kill the populations of these beetles.

The fungus Beauveria bassiana can kill these insects when injected into newly dug holes made in trees. Brongniartii is also exceptional in infecting and killing these adult beetles and their larvae.

Apart from such parasites, entomopathogenic nematodes are also used to get rid of these insects. The S. feltiae nematode is effective in killing these wood-boring beetles.

Lastly, as of now, the method being used is to completely eradicate the trees and surrounding trees that are infested so as to limit the spread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

The Asian longhorn beetles are a big threat to biodiversity and the growing species of trees across major forest ranges.

Therefore it is essential to know how to control them and eradicate their populations if you spot an infestation near you. We hope this article will help you with that.

Thank you for reading the article.