That’s right. We’ve been hit again. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Emerald Ash Borer attacking and killing all of our beautiful ash trees… well, we have a new bug in town (actually, BACK in town) and it has developed into one of the most complex forest health issues facing our urban forest today.
The Asian Long-horned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), also known as the starry sky beetle, is a large, exotic wood-boring forest pest native to Asia that attacks and kills a wide range of deciduous trees including its preferred species of birch, elm, hackberry, horsechestnut, maple, poplar, sycamore and willow. According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Asian Long-Horned Beetle (ALHB) was first introduced to North America in the early 1990s as a result of untreated wooden shipping crates imported from China. By 2003, ALHB made its way north and was discovered in an industrial area bordering the cities of Toronto and Vaughan. Immediate measures were taken by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to eradicate the beetle through the establishment of a quarantined area and the removal of approximately 28,000 trees. By 2013, a new siting was reported and the regulated area was updated to cover sections of Mississauga and west Toronto.
The ALHB is easily distinguished by its large, shiny black body measuring about 2-3.5cm in length. The beetle has up to 20 prominent white dots across its back and long black and white (or whitish-blue) antennae that extend one to two times the length of its body. This nasty insect will attack a variety of hardwood species of any age or size and unlucky for us, our temperate climate provides ideal conditions for both its establishment and survival. With no known natural enemies in Canada, coupled with its ability to survive harsh winter conditions, the ALHB poses a serious threat to the majority of Canada’s broadleaf forests and ultimately, biodiversity.
ALHB may have a one to two year life cycle. The female begins by chewing along the bark of a host species and lays its eggs along the branches, trunk and root flare. The larvae hatch and begin to feed on the inner cambium of the tree (similar to the Emerald Ash Borer), eventually cutting off the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients. Simultaneously, the adult beetles feed on the leaves and the bark of the twigs leaving the tree to die from the top down. This aggressive attack leaves the tree weak, stressed and prone to secondary attacks from other insects and diseases. Key indicators of an infested tree include round exit holes about 1cm wide, oval chew wounds along the trunk and branches, oozing sap from the egg laying sites, wilting and yellowing foliage, pre-mature leaf drop and sawdust on branches or tree base from the larval feeding.
You can do your part to help stop the spread of this pest! Follow the three simple steps below and help stop the spread of the ALHB!
1) Don’t spread firewood. In Canada, the CFIA’s plant protection policies are in effect to control the movement of wood from quarantined areas, so if you are planning on camping or cottaging this summer, make sure your firewood is purchased and burned locally. Moving wood products such as firewood, trees, logs, lumber or bark chips from quarantined zones may lead to infestations elsewhere.
2) Learn about the ALHB. It is important that we take the time to learn about preferred host species and the signs and symptoms of ALHB-infected trees. Keep in mind there are various other native insects that look similar to the ALHB (the white spotted sawyer beetle, the western conifer seed bug and the banded alder beetle) which are often mistakenly reported. A thorough investigation is critical when it comes to identifying ALHB infested trees.
3) Report any signs and symptoms. If you are a property owner within or near the designated infested areas and you suspect your tree may be infested, notify the CFIA as soon as possible by calling 1-800-442-2342 or visiting www.inspection.gc.ca.
And for anyone located within the CFIA regulated areas, here is a list of ALHB-resistant species LEAF offers through our Backyard Tree Planting Program:
basswood (Tilia americana)
black cherry (Prunus serotina)
black gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
black walnut (Juglans nigra)
blue beech (Carpinus caroliniana)
bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
grey dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
honey locust (Gleditsia tricanthos)
ironwood (Ostraya virginiana)
Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
red oak (Quercus rubra)
serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis)
swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)
tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
white pine (Pinus strobus)
white spruce (Picea glauca)
LEAF’s Backyard Tree Planting Program is supported by Ontario Power Generation, York Region and The City of Markham. Brenna Anstett is the Field Operations Coordinator at LEAF.