A very large, exotic boring beetle, the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB), has been confirmed to be in South Carolina. This is an invasive insect that we don’t want to become established in Georgia. Unlike native boring beetles, ALB attack living trees as well as dead or dying ones. They are especially drawn to maple trees.
ALBs are shiny black beetles with white spots on their large (0.75-1.5 inch long) bodies and very long, segmented antennae with black and white bands. On females, the antennae are as long as the beetle’s body; on males, the antennae are much longer than the body.
To identify ALB, look for large holes in the trunks of trees. This may be the first or only sign of an infestation.
What can we do to stop the spread of ALB?
- Don’t move firewood; purchase it locally and use it in the same area.
- Report dead or dying maples to your local Extension office.
- Learn what the ALB looks like.
- Bring suspected ALB specimens to your local Extension office.