Asian Longhorned Beetle ID

Update: The Asian longhorned beetle was found in Worcester, Massachusetts in August 2008. If you think you have seen this beetle, please report it here.

With summer almost upon us, insects are entering their active season here in New England. At this time of year, we also start getting more pest reports from concerned citizens across the state. Over the next few weeks, posts here at the MIPOP blog will focus on arming you with the tools you need to spot and identify some of the invasive insect species the state is monitoring for.

One thing that makes insect identification tricky is when there are species that look similar to each other, sometimes fooling even the trained eye. One well-known invader, the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), has a native look-alike that you may encounter in Massachusetts, the whitespotted pine sawyer (Monochamus scutellatus). Upon first glance, it can be easily mistaken for the ALB. However, the whitespotted pine sawyer has a distinctive white spot at the top of where its wing covers ("elytra") meet, while the ALB has none. This comparison of both species shows the location of that white spot on both the male and female whitespotted pine sawyers (click on the image to see it in full size):

Also, note that the white markings on the wing covers and antennae are much more visible on the Asian longhorned beetle. For more information, visit this page from the University of Vermont, and also see our fact sheet.

If you think you've seen an Asian longhorned beetle, or any of the introduced pests, weeds or diseases featured on our website, you can report it and send us a photo here.

All About the Emerald Ash Borer

Michigan State University has produced a very informative video about the history and control of the emerald ash borer beetle (Agrilus planipennis, or "EAB"). It features Dave Roberts, the biologist who first identified the EAB in Michigan back in 2002. The movie runs about 24 minutes and is divided into nine sections, including general information about the EAB, components of the federal eradication program, and a number of different case studies.

Massachusetts and other New England states remain on the lookout for EAB. While it has not been detected in our part of the USA, it is good to know that Michigan is documenting their experiences with this ash-destroying invasive species.