Anoplophora glabripennis

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) in collaboration with the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced yesterday that a 5.2 square mile area that includes portions of East Fork State Park and Tate Township has been removed from the ALB quarantined area.

Clemson University's Department of Plant Industry (DPI) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced today that Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) has been confirmed in South Carolina. This the latest ALB infestation to be found in North America and emphasizes the need to remain vigilant for the non-native tree killer.

I received an e-mail message from a homeowner asking for an ID of large beetles flying around their home. An attached image revealed the culprit to be painted hickory borers. This and other wood-boring beetles can emerge from firewood stored in or around homes to the surprise and consternation of homeowners.

Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) is potentially the most devastating non-native pest to have ever arrived in North America. The beetle kills trees belonging to 12 genera in 9 plant families. This includes all native maples, a preferred host. The ripple effect across many forest ecosystems also means the potential loss of plant and animal species dependent upon those ecosystems.

Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) is potentially the most devastating non-native pest to have ever arrived in North America. The beetle kills trees belonging to 12 genera in 9 plant families. This includes all native maples, a preferred host. Successful eradication is essential to avoiding a catastrophic loss of trees on a scale never before seen in the U.S.