Tuesday, August 11, 2015

A recent contact from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), reminded me that while August is a great time to get your toes in the sand, it's also a critical time to direct your sights into the trees.

A  closer look at your surrounding trees could help save our nation's hardwoods from a devastating invasive pest, according to the USDA, which just designated August as Tree Check Month to encourage the public to look for signs of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).

August is a time of peak emergence for the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). Residents of Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Ohio may know this pest all too well.

Nearly 130,000 trees combined have been lost in these states due to the ALB. Up to 70 percent of the U.S. tree canopy is at risk of being lost to this pest, as all states have trees within which the beetle can attack and complete its life-cycle.

If ALB were to become established in the United States, it could have a severe impact on the timber, maple syrup, tree nursery, and tourism industries, as well as the environment. In addition, public spaces, yards, and neighborhoods would take decades to recover.

Checking trees on your property or in your neighborhood means looking at the host trees the beetle attacks for the beetle itself or signs of damage caused by it. The most concerning signs are dime-sized exit holes, roughly ¼ inch or larger, perfectly round, found on the trunk and branches.  

Dead branches or canopy dieback can indicate something is wrong, and you can look for the beetle itself on the tree trunk, branches, on the ground, and on nearby surfaces.  

With these unique characteristics, the beetle stands out from other insects:

• Body is 1 to 1 ½ inches in length
• Long antennae banded in black and white (longer than the insect's body)
• Shiny, jet black body with random white spots
• Six legs

The USDA says the most important thing you can do to protect your trees is to check them regularly and encourage others to do so too.  Early detection is crucial in the fight against this invasive pest.

Unfortunately, once ALB infests a tree, there is no cure for that tree, but there are things we can do to save the rest. Learn more at aphis.usda.gov.

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