Michigan’s Invasive Species Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (or APHIS) are asking the public to look for an report signs of the invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle.
Each year, APHIS declares August as “tree check month” because this is the most likely time to see the beetle and the damage it causes to trees.They say everyone can help look for signs of this destructive beetle by checking trees on their property and in their community for damage.
The Asian Longhorned beetle or ALB for short, is a non-native, wood-boring beetle. It’s considered invasive in North America because it attacks at least 12 types of hardwood trees, like maples and elms.It’s about an inch and a half in lengthy with a shiny black body with white spots.
Experts say infested trees do not recover and will die. And they become safety hazards as branches can drop and trees can fall over.
If you think you’ve found beetle damage, you can report it by calling the ALB hotline at 866-702-9938.
