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Asian Longhorned Beetle
In today’s TrueTreeTalk post we’re going to take a look at a destructive, invasive pest, the Asian Longhorned Beetle.
What is the Asian Longhorned Beetle?
The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) is an insect.
What do Asian Longhorned Beetles Look Like?
Asian longhorned beetles are shiny, black, and have white spots. They are about an inch in size. They are six-legged and have feet that look bluish. A distinctive feature of them are their antennae, which are long compared to their body and are white and black in color. They look similar to the white-spotted sawyer.
The larvae are round and have a cream color.
Why are Asian Longhorned Beetles pests?
Asian longhorned beetles can damage or kill maples, beeches, poplars, and other hardwoods. They don’t have a particular host but can infest any of these types of trees.
They damage trees when they chew a tree’s bark to lay their eggs, when they tunnel inside of trees as they feed, and when they make holes when they exit trees.
Trees aren’t able to recover from damage caused by these beetles, because the beetles damage tissue in the trees that are responsible for the transportation of nutrients. They can cause a variety of problems for trees including causing limbs to fall from trees that otherwise look healthy, causing leaves to become yellow early in the season and fall early, and causing branches to die back. The tunnels they make can be seen in wood from infested trees that have fallen or been cut. Trees can die from infestations in as little as one or two years.
Where can Asian Longhorned Beetles be Found?
Asian longhorned beetles can be found in Asia, Canada, and the U.S. In North America, they were first seen at the end of the twentieth century.
If you liked learning about the Asian longhorned beetle, check out our other posts on our TrueTreeTalk blog. Follow us on Facebook to keep up with these and other posts.
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ArborTrue is a science-based tree-service company in the greater Houston area. We provide a range of services including tree trimming, tree pruning, tree removal, tree planting, arborist consultations, and more. Call us today at 832-980-8733 or reach out to us online to schedule an appointment.
