This notice just arrived (August 12, 2008) at RINHS regarding the confirmed presence of asian longhorn beetle just a few miles away from Rhode Island, in Worcester, Mass. Unlike emerald ash borer beetle, ALB has been successfully eradicated elsewhere so vigilance is warranted. I’ll also say that ALB is large and dramatically marked and will make a fine specimen in anyone’s insect collection, so get out there and find ‘em. And if you do, be sure to tell RINHS so we can pass the information along to the appropriate authorities. In Rhode Island, the appropriate authority would be RI DEM Division of Forest Environment:

Catherine Sparks, Chief
1037 Hartford Pike
North Scituate, RI 02857
(401) 647-4389 or 647-3367
fax 647-3590

The maps of the Worcester infestation shown on TV indicate the locus is Joe Schwartz Field, off West Boylston Street a couple miles north of downtown. If you find the beetle in Massachusetts, here’s a link to an online reporting tool:

Here’s a little collage to give you an idea of what to look for.

If you end up with lots of long horn beetles that aren’t the ALB and want to know more about them, the Peterson Field Guide to Beetles is a very good start and the best source for information is the Long Horn Beetles of Illinois published by Illinois Natural History Survey and still available through them (www.inhs.uiuc.edu).

Here’s a PDF you can download with lots of official USDA advice on ALB control:
albguidelines1-07.pdf

Stay tuned to www.rinhs.org as the counter attack to this latest invasion unfolds.

DEP and Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Respond to Presence of Asian Longhorn Beetle in Worcester, MA

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) today announced that federal agricultural officials have confirmed the presence of the Asian Longhorn Beetle (ALB) in nearby Worcester, Massachusetts. This beetle is a serious pest in other parts of the world and can kill hardwood trees in roadside plantings, shelterbelts, and plantations. In the United States, the beetle prefers maple species.

“This discovery is certainly a concern,” said Christopher Martin, DEP Director of Forestry. “The close proximity to Connecticut definitely places our forests at risk. We are asking Connecticut residents to keep their eyes open and report possible ALB infestations to CAES or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine (APHIS). Early detection is the best defense. Residents should also remember to purchase firewood from local sources and not transport firewood from out of state. Firewood arriving to Connecticut from infested areas can easily bring along unwanted hitch hikers like ALB and other harmful forest pests.”

ALB typically does not spread quickly on its own, but it can easily be inadvertently transported in untreated firewood and other forest products. Trees affected include:

· Boxelder,

· Norway, Red, Silver, and Sugar maples,

· Alders, Birches, Elms, Horsechestnut, Poplars, and Willows.

A complete list of host trees in the United States, however, has not been determined. Previous infestations have occurred in New York, Illinois and New Jersey.

Residents suspecting they have seen ALB should report their findings to CAES at (203) 974-8474 or (203) 974-8485. Residents can also report sightings to APHIS via their website at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/.

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