August Is Tree Check Month: Help Spot the Asian Longhorned Beetle
August has been declared Tree Check Month by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to encourage everyone to inspect their trees for the invasive Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).
Why August Matters
Now is prime time to spot ALB. Adult beetles are about 1 to 1½ inches long, shiny black with white spots and long black-and-white striped antennae and they are active this month! The larvae feed inside trees, and adults emerge through round exit holes, about the thickness of a pencil, leaving sawdust-like frass behind. Infested trees cannot recover and become safety hazards as branches can fall and trees may topple.
What to Look For
Check hardwood trees you love, especially maples, birches, elms, willow, ash and poplar, for these telltale signs:
- Adult beetles on tree trunks, leaves or branches
- Round exit holes, ~¾ inch across
- Egg sites or chewed bark spots with sap weeping
- Frass, coarse sawdust, piled around tree bases or crevices
- Dying or dropped branches in otherwise healthy trees
What You Can Do
- Inspect your trees and those in neighborhoods, parks, or recreation areas.
- Don’t move firewood or wood from quarantined areas because ALB can spread easily this way.
- Report any suspected beetles or damage immediately. You can take a photo (or freeze a specimen in a sturdy container) and call APHIS’s toll-free hotline at 1‑866‑702‑9938 or submit an online report.
Why It Matters to USDA and You
APHIS is eradicating ALB from quarantined areas in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and South Carolina. Early detection helps save our trees, forests, protects property and preserves public safety. Your vigilance matters. This August, take a few minutes to become a tree guardian. Report signs of ALB and help USDA protect America's hardwoods.
