Asian long-horned beetle
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| Anoplophora glabripennis Cano, 1894 [1] |
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Anthonomus aeneotinctus Champion, 1903 |
The Asian long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), sometimes called Starry Sky (Sky Oxen in China) beetle, is native to China and other areas of eastern Asia, where it causes widespread mortality of poplar, willow, elm, and maple trees.
Asian long-horned beetles are big, showy insects: shiny and coal black with white spots. Adults are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. On their head is a pair of very long antennae that are alternately ringed in black and white. The antennae are longer than the insect's body.
An invasive species in the United States, the larvae of this beetle have a voracious appetite for wood. It is especially damaging to maple trees: Norway, sugar, silver, and red maple are among its preferred foods. The species also feeds on horse-chestnut, poplar, willow, and elm. Females of this species chew into the bark and lay eggs. When the eggs hatch, the immature beetles, which look like big white worms, chew their way farther into the tree. When they mature, the full-grown beetles chew their way out of the tree. The beetle life cycle leaves trees riddled with holes, oozing sap. The USDA believes this beetle can probably survive and reproduce in most sections of the country where suitable host trees exist. The beetle has also invaded Britain, Austria and Germany.
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[edit] Infestations in the United States
The Asian long-horned beetle (ALB) can be seen from late spring to fall, depending on the climate. Host trees include: Acer (maple, boxelder), Aesculus (horsechestnut, buckeye), Salix (willow), and Ulmus (elm.) The ALB was first discovered in the United States in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and soon after in Amityville on Long Island in 1996. Since then, infestations were found in and around New York City, including on Long Island and in Queens and Flushing Park. Several infested trees were removed around Central Park. They have been found in Chicago, where a quarantine was ordered and subsequently lifted on July 12, 2006. They have also been reported in New Jersey, and Toronto, Canada.
ALBs have been found in warehouses in CA, FL, IL, IN, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TX, WA, WI and in BC, ON in Canada, but have been prevented from getting outdoors.
[edit] Background
The ALB was believed to have arrived in New York City in the 1980s from wood packing material. According to Victor Mastro, the Director of Animal and Plant Health Insect Service Laboratory of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the center of the infection zone was a warehouse which imported plumbing supplies from China (Smith, 2003). The infestations in New Jersey and on Long Island are believed to have spread from the Brooklyn point of entry. Chicago's infestation was believed to come from a separate point of entry.
The Greenpoint infestation was first reported by Ingram Carter of Greenpoint on a Saturday in August 1996 and identified by Cornell University entomologist Richard Hoebeke on August 19th. The Amityville infestation was brought, inadvertently, from Brooklyn by the Mike Ryan Tree Services, a tree pruning company, which performs work for the NYNEX telephone company.[2]
[edit] Timeline of discoveries
- August 19, 1996: identified in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NYC
- Feb 1999: Bayside, Queens
- July 1999: Flushing, Queens
- August 1999: Upper East Side, Manhattan
- June 2000: Lower East Side, Manhattan
- July 2000: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
- October 2001: FDR Drive & 34th St, Manhattan
- January 2002: Central Park, Manhattan
- March 2003: Forest Park, Queens
- April 2003: Kew Gardens Hills, Queens
- September 2003: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Queens [3]
- More sites have been found in 2004 onward
- September 23, 1996: discovered in Amityville, NY
- October 17, 1997: discovered in Lindenhurst, NY
- July 13, 1998: discovered in Ravenswood neighborhood, Chicago, IL
- July 31, 1998: Addison, IL
- August 3, 1998: Summit, IL
- September 2, 1999: Park Ridge, IL
- November 28, 2000: O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, IL
- September 8, 1999: discovered in Islip, NY
- October 11, 2002: discovered in Jersey City, NJ[4]
- September 18, 2003: discovered in Toronto, ON and Vaughan, ON [5]
- August 17, 2004: discovered in Carteret, Rahway, and Linden, NJ
- June 16, 2005: 2 live adult ALBs found outside of a warehouse in Sacramento, CA
[edit] Eradication efforts
Over 6,000 infested trees have been cut down and destroyed to eradicate ALB from New York and over 1,550 trees in Chicago and almost 23,000 trees in New Jersey, [6] Infested trees continue to be discovered.
The US Federal government is trying to eradicate this species primarily for two reasons:
- If it becomes established it could significantly impact natural forests and urban environment.
- Due to the current limited infestation size, it is believed that eradication efforts can be successful.
The steps that have been taken to eliminate the ALB include:
- Quarantines. Quarantines have been established around infested areas to prevent accidental spread of ALB by people.
- Infested trees cut, chipped and burned. All infested trees are being removed, chipped in place, and the chips are being burned. The stumps of infested trees are ground to below the soil level. All tree removal is done by certified tree care personnel to ensure that the process is completed properly.
- Insecticide treatments. Research is underway to determine the effectiveness of certain insecticides such as imidacloprid against ALB. Insecticidal treatments have begun in New York and Chicago in hopes of preventing and containing infestations. Chicago's program of imidacloprid treatments for healthy trees of potential host species within a one-eighth to one-half mile radius of infested trees successfully removed Illinois from quarantine in August 2006. As of December 2006, New Jersey's policy was to cut down all healthy trees of the potential host species within a one-eighth to one-quarter mile radius of infested trees.
- Extensive surveys. All host trees on public and private property located within an established distance from an infested area are surveyed by trained personnel. Infested areas are re-surveyed at least once per year for 3-5 years after the last beetle or infested tree is found.
US customs regulations were changed on September 18, 1998 (effective December 17, 1998) to require wooden packing materials from China be chemically treated or dried via kiln to prevent further infestations of the Asian long-horned beetle from arriving. Pest inspection, new rules, and public awareness are the key steps to prevention of the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle. Serviceberry or Shadbush, Ironwood, Southern catalpa, Hackberry, Turkish filbert, Ginkgo, honeylocust, Kentucky coffeetree, Tuliptree, Dawn redwood, White oak, Swamp white oak, Bur oak, English oak, Japanese lilac, Bald cypress, Basswood, Littleleaf linden are trees that are being planted to replace host trees.
[edit] Notes
- ^ TSN 187837. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on July 11, 2007.
- ^ APHIS Web - PPQ - Asian Longhorned Beetle - New Pest Advisory Group Report
- ^ http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/trees_greenstreets/beetle_alert/images/infestation_050427_CPelm_new.pdf
- ^ Press Release
- ^ September 18, 2003 Asian Longhorned Beetle discovered in York Region
- ^ Newspaper Archive
[edit] References
- Antipin, Judy and Dilley, Thomas. "Chicago vs. Asian Longhorn Beetle: A Portrait of Success"
- http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS6632
- Smith, Jennifer. "Monsters in Miniature: An Exotic Invader Threatens U.S. Hardwoods". April 13, 2003 Newsday.com.
- Woodsen, Mary. "Cities Under Siege". American Forests Summer 2000: 7.
