Home Check trees in August for the Asian Longhorned Beetle
Local News

Check trees in August for the Asian Longhorned Beetle

Contributors

asian longhorned beetleAlthough the Asian longhorned beetle has not been found in Virginia, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages residents to check for this invasive pest by looking for signs in their trees and firewood transported from other states.

To minimize further spread of the beetle, VDACS advises residents who see signs of the ALB to document, capture and report the insect to VDACS or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.   

The ALB has the potential to destroy millions of acres of America’s treasured hardwoods, including maple, birch, elm, willow, ash and poplar trees, just to name a few. The beetle is slow to spread on its own during the early stages of an infestation, so early detection and reporting is critical to containing it. People can also help by not moving firewood, which can transport the beetle hidden beneath the bark, to new areas.

The ALB has distinctive markings that are easy to recognize:

  • Long antennae with black and white bands, longer than the insect’s body.
  • A shiny, jet black body, about 1-1 ½ inches long, with white spots.
  • ix legs with possible bluish-colored feet.

Signs of ALB infestation include:

  • Perfectly round exit holes, about the size of a dime or smaller, in tree trunks and branches.
  • Shallow oval or round scars in the bark, where the adult beetle has chewed an egg site.
  • Sawdust-like material, called frass, on the ground around the tree or in the ALB exit holes found in the tree trunk and branches.
  • Dead branches or limbs falling from an otherwise healthy-looking tree.

What to do if you see signs of the ALB:

The Asian longhorned beetle, an invasive insect from Asia, has no natural enemies here. Since its discovery in the U.S. in 1996, it has led to the loss of more than 160,000 trees in forests, parks and neighborhoods. Once infested, trees will die and need to be removed.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.

Latest News

Sports

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025 In New Mexico | NM Sports Betting Sites Apps

free bets for Super Bowl 2025
Sports News

6 Best Betting Apps Offering Free Bets For Super Bowl 2025

The time for waiting is almost over as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs get ready to lock horns in New Orleans. Here at AugustaFreePress, we take a look at the best betting apps offering free bets for Super Bowl 2025 on February 9.  More than $4,000 worth of free bets can be claimed...

Sports

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025 In Minnesota – MN Sports Betting Sites

The stage is set in New Orleans for the NFL season’s curtain call, and below we will guide you through how to bet on Super Bowl 2025 in Minnesota. How to Bet on Super Bowl 2025 in Minnesota Having scoured the web in order to find the best NFL betting site for the Super Bowl,...

Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eages - Super Bowl 2023
Sports

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025 In Mississippi – Best MS Sports Betting Sites

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025
Sports

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025 In Missouri – MO Sports Betting Sites

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025
Sports

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025 In California – Best CA Sports Betting Sites

patrick mahomes
Sports

How To Bet On Super Bowl 2025 In Canada – CA Sports Betting Sites