What is an Asian longhorned beetle?
. The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is a large, bullet–shaped beetle about 1 to 1.5 inches long. Shiny and black with white spots, it has exceptionally long antennae that are banded with black and white. The elongated feet are black with a whitish–blue upper surface. Although its size and large mandibles cause it to appear threatening, the beetle is harmless to humans and pets. In the larval stage, the white, worm–like beetles bore into live trees causing sap to flow from wounds and frass (sawdust and other insect waste) to accumulate at tree bases. Left undetected, the ALB will girdle the vascular system of trees eventually causing the tree to wither and die. Q. Why should the United States be concerned about ALB? A. The ALB is a serious threat to U.S. trees. ALB larvae bore deep into deciduous hardwood trees such as maple, birch, horse chestnut, poplar, willow, elm, and ash, eventually killing them. Damage from infestations in New York, Illinois, and New Jersey, has resulted in the r
