Asian Longhorned Beetle

Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)

Report

Photo Credit: Donald Duerr, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Management Category

Synonyms

ALHB

ID Characteristics

General: The Asian longhorned beetle adults are large insects, reaching 20 – 35 mm in length.

Egg: White eggs are 5 – 7mm long, and laid under tree bark.

Larvae: Cream-coloured body (7 – 20 mm long), with a hard shell behind the head, and dark brown mouth parts that can be seen from the side.

Pupa: Off-white pupa can grow up to 30 – 37mm long. They are typically found in a pupal chamber located in the wood.

Adult: They have long antennae with 11 segments, alternating blue-white and blue-black. Adult beetles are shiny black with up to 20 white dots on their backs and bluish-white legs. Adults emerge from the host tree through a round exit hole (1.5 – 2 cm in diameter).

Similar Species

Invasive

The Citrus longhorned beetle (Anoplophora chinensis) larvae prefer to tunnel in lower trunks and roots, while the Asian longhorned beetle larvae develop higher up in tree trunks.

Invasive Citrus longhorned beetle, Art Wagner, USDA – APHIS, Bugwood.org

Native

The Whitespotted sawyer beetle (Monochamus scutellatus) has a single white spot between wing covers. Its body is bronzy black with a rough dimpled surface. It also has dark legs.

Native Whitespotted Sawyer Beetle, Edward H. Holsten, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

The Banded alder beetle (Rosalla funebris) has alternating transverse black and gray bands, and grows 20-35mm long.

Native Banded alder borer Patrick Loes, Bugwood.org

Habitat and Origin

Origin: Asian longhorned beetle is native to China and Korea. It was unintentionally brought over to North America in wood shipments.

Habitat: In Canada, Asian longhorned beetle has been spotted in Ontario; in the US, it has been reported as far West as Washington State. Maple trees are the preferred host for the Asian longhorned beetle, but they can be found in many hardwood trees including willow, poplar, elm, and birch.

How it Spreads

Reproduction: Mating begins 2 – 3 days after adults emerge from the host tree, and females can lay up to 80 eggs. Eggs are laid between July and October, and hatch in about 15 days.

Vectors of Spread: The Asian longhorned beetle spreads when infested firewood, live trees, or untreated lumber are transported.

Impacts

Ecological:

Larvae feed on the trunk and limbs of trees, while adults feed on leaves, bark and shoots.
Larvae burrow extensive tunnels into the wood; this can kill even the healthiest trees.
Infestation symptoms include bark cracks, thinning crowns, and tree death.

Economic:

Causes significant reductions in wood supply.
As this species prefers maple trees, it could affect the maple syrup industry in Canada.

Social:

In urban and suburban settings, broadleaf trees (especially mature ones) provide shade, increase aesthetic beauty, filter air and water pollutants, produce oxygen and increase property values. Losing trees to Asian longhorned beetles would greatly decrease these social benefits.

Prevent the Spread

Asian longhorned beetle is NOT currently found in the Sea to Sky Region, so PREVENTION is key:

Learn to identify the Asian longhorned beetle: Use the images presented on this profile page.

What to do if you spot it: You can report any Asian longhorned beelte sighting by visiting our reporting page.

DO:

Regularly monitor properties for Asian longhorned beetle infestations. Monitoring adjacent areas to infection sites is important to prevent re-establishment.
Buy Local, Burn Local. Burn local firewood to reduce the chance of bringing the Asian longhorned beetle to new locations.
Avoid importing wood or live trees to reduce the chance of bringing the Asian longhorned beetle to new locations.

Control

Mechanical Control:

Wood, trees, and other tree parts within the area of an infection site must be destroyed. It is recommended to cut down infested trees, and all nearby trees that may be infested. After cutting them down, it is recommended to burn the tree material; alternatively, feeding it through a wood chipper can kill larvae or adults present in the trees.

Chemical Control:

No insecticides are registered in Canada for use against the Asian longhorned beetle.

We recommend that any pesticide application is carried out by a person holding a valid BC Pesticide Applicator Certificate. Before selecting and applying pesticides, you must review and follow pesticide labels and application rates; municipal, regional, provincial and federal laws and regulations; species-specific treatment recommendations, and site-specific goals and objectives.