Skip to Main Content

destructive-pests-check-your-trees-for-asian-long-horned-beetles

August is peak emergence season for the invasive Asian long-horned beetle, a pest that poses a serious threat to shade trees. A Purdue University entomologist is urging people to perform their annual tree checkup for these destructive insects. In just a few minutes, people can determine if their trees are infested and save countless other trees through early detection.

This month is designated “Tree Check Month” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS. The Asian long-horned beetle has not been found in Indiana yet, but it has been found nearby in Chicago and Ohio.

“If you see an Asian long-horned beetle, you should report it,” said Cliff Sadof, a Purdue professor of entomology. “Early reports by private citizens have been critical to eradication efforts in Chicago, Ohio, New York and New Jersey.”

To report the beetle, Sadof recommends calling 1-866-NO-EXOTIC. Smartphone apps also are available at https://apps.bugwood.org/apps/gledn/, where citizens can report suspected beetle infestations. Reports go to the state first and then to Purdue for confirmation.

The Tree Doctor App, which is available at Purdue Extension’s The Education Store at www.edustore.purdue.edu, can also be used to identify this beetle and other common tree pests.

The Asian long-horned beetle is a distinctive-looking insect with these characteristics:

  • Body is about 1 inch to 1 inch and a half in length.
  • Antennae, longer than the insect’s body, is banded in black and white.
  • Shiny jet black body that features random white spots.
  • Six legs, in some cases with bluish-colored feet.

Signs of an infestation start to show about three to four years after the tree is infested. Such trees show these signs:

  • Dime-sized or smaller round exit holes in the tree trunk or branches.
  • Shallow oval or round scars in the bark, where the adult beetle has chewed an egg site.
  • Sawdust-like materials, called frass, on the ground around the tree or on the branches.
  • Dead branches or limbs falling from an otherwise healthy-looking tree.

Asian long-horned beetles also commonly fall into swimming pools. Sadof suggests residents check their water skimmers for the beetle, too.

APHIS reports that maples are the most commonly infested trees in North America. Infested trees do not recover and, therefore, should be removed. 

Purdue entomologist request Indiana residents check their trees for signs of the Asian long-horned beetle and report if sighted. (Phot/Joe Boggs, Ohio State University) Purdue entomologist request Indiana residents check their trees for signs of the Asian long-horned beetle and report if sighted. (Phot/Joe Boggs, Ohio State University)

Featured Stories

cows in a field
Food products from animals with heritable genetic modifications potential boon to producers, consumers and animals

Farmers have been improving the genetics of their animals for thousands of years through...

Read More
Anna Paltseva, clinical assistant professor of urban science in the agronomy department, sits outside of a greenhouse, holding her Urban Soils Guide.
Framework to expand engagement in urban areas

Urban soils are essential to building sustainable cities — from supporting green...

Read More
Ag Barometer
Farmer sentiment improves as long-term optimism outweighs tariff concerns

Farmer sentiment improved in April as producers expressed more optimism about current and future...

Read More
black soldier fly
Revolutionizing waste: How black soldier flies transform food waste into sustainable solutions

With food waste being a growing problem around the world, finding innovative solutions is more...

Read More
Two women examine the ground near tomato plants
Small Farm Education Field Day will feature new research, demonstrations and Purdue experts

The Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day on July 24 will offer demonstrations and presentations...

Read More
Oseremi Olivia Jagbojo
Oseremi Olivia Jagbojo - Graduate Ag Research Spotlight

Growing up in bustling Lagos, Nigeria, the largest city in Africa, agriculture was the furthest...

Read More
To Top