Dr. David Coyle, Clemson Extension.
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is an invasive woodboring pest found in Charleston County in May 2020. ALB primarily attacks maples (especially red maple), elms, willows, birches, and several other tree species. Adults are large (up to 1 ½” long) black beetles with white spots, black and white striped antennae, and bluish feet. ALB signs include large, pencil-sized holes on trees, bleeding from wounds on the trunk, and conical, chewed-out marks on the trunk.
Photo Credit: Dr. David Coyle, Clemson
Extension.
This infestation continues to be in the news, and there are recent updates on the eradication process. First, removals of infested trees began in November 2020 and will be ongoing for the foreseeable future. To eradicate ALB, the infested trees are removed and chipped. Davey Tree Company is working with regulatory officials to perform this work. As of now, they are focused on residential areas in the Hollywood, SC area. A quarantine has also been implemented for the infested area, which means material from several hardwood tree species cannot move out of that quarantine area. Please note, this quarantine does not include pines or oaks but does include maples, poplars, willows, sycamore, and several other tree species. The quarantine map can be viewed at www.clemson.edu/public/albmap, and details about regulated materials can be found at https://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/plantindustry/invasive/_pdf/albquarantine_11jan2021.pdf
If you think you’ve seen ALB, please contact the Clemson Department of Plant Industry at stopalb@clemson.edu or by calling 843-973-8328.
This article was originally featured in the Spring 2021 Version of CU in The Woods newsletter.
Author(s)
Dave Coyle, Cooperative Extension, Forestry and Wildlife Specialist
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