Shade Tree: Beware Tree-Killing Beetles

The Shade Tree Commission asks residents to be aware of the Asian longhorned beetle, which has been discovered attacking trees in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Illinois and Massachusetts.

Adult beetles are .75 to 1.25 inches long, with a black body and white spots on its back. Its antennae are 1.25 to 2.5 times its body length with distinctive black and white bands.

Beetle larvae bores deep into a tree stem and branches of hardwood trees, eventually killing the tree. The only effective way to eliminate the beetle is to remove and destroy the affected trees. To prevent further spread, quarantines are established to avoid transporting infested trees and branches.

To help stop the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle, the Shade Tree Commission asks residents to:

• Leave firewood at home and don't transport it to campgrounds and parks.
• Use firewood from local sources.
• If you have moved firewood, burn it before leaving your camp site.
• Do not bring firewood home from out of state.

For more information, visit www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/alb or www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/asian_lhb/index.shtml.