Exit hole made by an Asian Longhorned Beetle.

A destructive beetle has been found in another nearby state, raising concern that it could eventually make its way into Pennsylvania and threaten popular landscaping and hardwood industry trees.   The Asian Longhorned Beetle has now turned up in Ohio. The invasive beetle has already been causing problems in two other border states, New York and New Jersey.  It has also been found in Massachusetts and Illinois.

Leo Donovall, Coordinator of the Invasive Species Council and a plant inspection specialist with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, says the beetle will attack many different types of trees, but especially prefers maples.

Donovall says the female lays eggs under the bark of trees and will continue to colonize a tree until it dies. The beetle has been showing up mainly in urban settings, so they want people to be on the lookout.

The beetle is about an inch long, with a jet black glossy body and white  spots on its wings.  It has long antennae. Signs of damage include pitting on the outside of the tree, round exit holes, sawdust piles collecting in the crooks of branches or at the base of the tree, and weeping of sap from exit sites. People spotting these should contact the State Agriculture Department’s pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189, or email to Badbug@state.pa.us.

Donovall asks that people report any and all sightings.  He says if you can collect the suspect beetle, it will help them make identification.  He says if you have to kill it, try to collect all of the parts. He says you can put some rubbing alcohol on it and put it in a jar to deliver to the Department of Agriculture.  He says they need to have a specimen for a positive sighting.  He says they would also need a specimen to take action in an area where an infestation is suspected.