Department of Agriculture asking Ohioans to look out for invasive beetles

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is asking Ohioans to keep an eye out for the invasive Asian longhorned beetle.

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A spokesperson from the USDA APHIS said the Asian longhorned beetle has been “attacking trees in Ohio since 2011.”

Ohioans can help by checking trees in their community and reporting any sitings to the USDA.

“August is an ideal time of year to look for the beetle and the damage it causes,” APHIS National Operations Manager for the ALB Eradication Program Josie Ryan said. “Adult beetles are emerging now. You can see them on trees and other nearby items. Finding and reporting infested trees early means we can save more trees.”

The spokesperson said APHIS has found nearly 22,000 infested trees and removed more than 36,000 trees in Ohio since 2011.

The beetle is wood-boring and attacks 12 types of hardwood trees. Those include maple, birch, buckeye, elm, willow, ash, golden rain tree, katsura, London plane tree, mimosa, mountain ash, and poplar trees.

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The spokesperson said infested trees become safety hazards, as branches can fall off and trees can collapse.

How to recognize an Asian longhorned beetle:

• A shiny, black body with white spots. Its body is about 1″ to 1-1/2″ long.
• Black and white antennae that are longer than its body.
• Six legs and feet. The feet can appear bluish.

Signs that a tree might be infested include:

• Round exit holes in tree trunks and branches about the size of a dime or smaller.
• Egg sites, or chewed spots, on the bark about the size of a quarter. Sap may come out from these.
• Sawdust-like material called frass is found on the tree, ground, or tree branches.
• Branches or limbs dying or falling from an otherwise healthy-looking tree.

If you think you found beetle or tree damage, report it to the USDA APHIS by calling 1-866-702-9938, or submit an online report through the Asian longhorned beetle website.

For more information on the beetle, click here .