Asian Longhorned Beetle Found On Staten Island
Asian Longhorned beetle
The Asian Longhorned beetle (ALB), an insect classified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as an invasive species and an imminent threat to our forest ecosystem, has spread to Staten Island.
An infested silver maple tree, located on a private wood lot in Bloomfield, is the first evidence of the beetle found on mainland Staten Island. It was detected on March 22 by USDA tree climbers. Surveys intensified on Staten Island since the detection of infested trees on nearby Prall’s Island. To date, only one infested tree has been detected on the mainland and survey crews will continue to inspect ALB host trees to determine if any additional trees are infested. Due south, on the 88-acre uninhabited Prall’s Island, 37 ALB-infested red maple and gray birch trees have been discovered since March 1.
The Asian Longhorned beetle, native to China, Japan and Korea, deposits eggs into healthy hardwood trees. After hatching, the developing beetle bores into the trees and feeds on living tree tissue during the larval stage. Adult beetles then emerge from exit holes and briefly feed on the small twigs and leaves of host trees. Signs of an infested tree include round pits in tree bark, oozing sap, accumulation of sawdust from larvae boring, and round exit holes.
The ALB-infested tree in Bloomfield sports light damage in the form of ten egg sites in its canopy. When inspected by USDA climbers in May 2006 just prior to flight season, the tree was not infested, leading experts to believe that the tree has been infested for less than a year. USDA surveyors inspected the wood lot following the confirmation of significant infestation on nearby Prall’s Island, which is located in close proximity to ALB-infested areas in New Jersey. Parks continues to work with partner agencies on the federal and state levels to monitor both infested areas of Staten Island for further signs of the beetle, develop strategies to remove infested and potential host trees, and dispose of removed trees in a manner with minimal ecological impacts.
The Asian Longhorned beetle was first discovered in 1996 in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It attacks and kills over 25 species of hardwood trees in North America and has destroyed over 4,000 trees in neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens to date. In 2007 to date, 14 ALB-infested trees have been found in Queens, and four infested trees have been found in Brooklyn.
We encourage New Yorkers to help in the battle against the Asian Longhorned beetle. The Asian Longhorned Beetle is about 1 to 1.5 inches long, has a shiny, jet-black body with distinctive white spots and long antennae that are banded with black and white. Signs to look for are round exit holes about the size of a dime and coarse sawdust created by beetle larvae as they bore into the main tree stem and branches. There may also be oval pits in the tree bark that are egg-laying niches. Sap may flow from these niches, especially on maple trees, as the larvae feed inside the tree. Residents can also assist in the eradication efforts by allowing project officials access to their property to inspect their trees.
To report a sighting of this pest, call 311 or (877) STOP-ALB.