Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) (Anoplophora glabripennis, family Cerambycidae) is potentially the most devastating non-native tree-killing pest or disease ever to arrive in North America. ALB kills trees in 12 genera across 9 plant families, including all native maples (Acer spp.), a preferred host.
To put things into perspective, emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis, family Buprestidae) kills native trees belonging to one genus, Fraxinus. Dutch elm disease vectored by bark beetles kills trees in one genus, Ulmus. Chestnut blight produced by the fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, killed two species: American chestnut (Castanea dentata) and Allegheny chinquapin (Castanea pumila).
If ALB were ever allowed to follow the same trajectories, it would remake our American tree canopies. Forest products would be affected, landscapes would be affected, plant production would be affected, and urban forests would be reshaped. With the rising awareness of the significant connections between trees and human health, our own health would be affected.
A Win!
The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), in collaboration with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), announced yesterday that a 6.2-square-mile area has been removed from the ALB quarantined area. The area includes the southeast portion of Tate Township south of State Route 125 out of the Village of Bethel, OH. It means ALB has been eradicated in that area.
You can view the new map by clicking this link: ALB Quarantine Map.
Successful eradication is essential to avoiding a catastrophic loss of trees on a scale never before seen in the U.S. It's a significant "win" for the earnest professionals dedicated to protecting us from this pernicious pest.
Indeed, the unsung heroes in the ALB saga are the dedicated individuals who work for our ODA and the USDA APHIS. These trained professionals work on our behalf to keep non-native pests and diseases of both plants and animals at bay. Their work is critical to our economic and ecological well-being. We owe them our gratitude and support.
For more information on ALB in Ohio, visit the ODA Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) website at: ALB in Ohio.
Stay ALERT to ALB
While the ODA/USDA announcement is welcomed news, we cannot let our guard down. Beyond the possibility of losing all species of maples, ALB also attacks Aesculus (horsechestnuts and buckeyes); Ulmus (elms); Salix (willows); Betula (birches); Platanus (Sycamore/Planetrees); Populus (Poplars); Albizia (Mimosa); Cercidiphyllum (Katsura); Fraxinus (ashes); Koelreuteria (goldenraintree); and Sorbus (mountainash).
Early detection is critical to the successful eradication of ALB both in terms of time and money. There’s always a possibility that ALB may slip through our border interdiction efforts. This means we must remain vigilant no matter where we live in Ohio or elsewhere in the U.S.
Tips for detecting ALB:
1. Focus on Maples: ALB will attack trees belonging to 12 genera; however, maples are by far the most preferred host, and don’t forget that boxelder (A. negundo) is a maple. Finding emergence holes in live, healthy maple stems would point to ALB.
2. Branch Breakage: ALB larvae tunnel through and feed on the wood (xylem) of trees. This weakens branches, causing them to break. Unusually heavy branch breakage on living maple trees should be investigated!
3. Big Round Holes and the "Pencil Test": The big beetles typically emerge from deep inside the xylem, so the perfectly round adult emergence holes extend deep into the tree. Inserting a #2 pencil into the holes will reveal the depth of the emergence holes. However, trees may close the exit holes with wound-response tissue.
4. Pits in the Bark: ALB females chew a concave pit through the bark to the xylem, where they lay a single egg. The "oviposition pits" may weep sap during the growing season. However, trees usually close the pits relatively quickly, so you may only see rounded wounds.
5. Woodpecker Damage: ALB larvae live deep inside the xylem. Woodpeckers excavate deep holes in search of these large, tasty meat morsels.
6. Frass: ALB produces small wood shavings, called frass, as they emerge from trees or as the females chew oviposition pits.
7. Bark Cracking: Larval feeding damage may stimulate trees to produce wound-response tissue beneath the bark. The tissue lifts the overlying bark, producing cracks and fissures.
8. Hulking Cream-Colored Larvae: Longhorn beetle larvae are called “Round-Headed Borers” owing to the rounded segment just behind the head. Native round-headed borer larvae are commonly found in stressed, dying, or dead stems. Finding such larvae in healthy maple stems could point to ALB.
9. Big Beetles: ALB is a large beetle with distinct black and white markings.
If you find beetles or any of these ALB indicators, report it. In fact, if you find ANY suspicious signs or symptoms, report it! There is no harm in reporting, even if it turns out not to be ALB. However, there is great harm if it is ALB and it's not reported. Give the ALB professionals a chance to investigate.
NOTE: Always take pictures of the beetles, if possible. If beetles or larvae can be collected, place them in a jar and freeze them for identification.
Here are the ways you can report suspicious symptoms:
- Call the ALB eradication program office at 513-381-7180
- Send an email message to ALB@agri.ohio.gov
- Use the online “OH Dept. of Ag: Plant Pest Reporter Tool” at: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1b36dd2cf09e4be0a79776a6104ce1dc
If you see it, report it!
