News of the Wild

Beating Back Asian Longhorned Beetles

A cluster of officials from state and federal agencies gathered in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood in late April to celebrate a partial victory in the battle against the Asian longhorned beetle, an invasive species first detected there in 1998. The beetle, thought to have arrived in shipping crates from China, had a taste for hardwoods such as maples and elms and had no known local predators. So it posed a significant threat to the health of urban forests. Since initial detection of the beetle on June 13, 1998, forestry crews found and removed 1,770 infested trees from northeastern Illinois.

By imposing a strict quarantine — limiting the movement of firewood, lumber and nursery stock from affected areas — and through vigilant inspections, removal of infested trees and preventive treatment of other trees with insecticide, the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA–APHIS) and the City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation’s Bureau of Forestry were able to successfully eradicate the Asian longhorned beetle from several affected areas, including Ravenswood, Kilbourne Park, Park Ridge, Bensenville, and Loyola. Since no beetles had been seen in these areas in two years, officials lifted the quarantine.

An area around Chicago’s Oz Park remains quarantined as three infested trees were found there in 2003. Trees in the former quarantine areas will continue to be inspected annually.

“While deregulation of the Asian longhorned beetle quarantine zones in Cook and DuPage Counties is a great sign that our efforts to depopulate the beetle are effective, we cannot let up on our surveillance and outreach efforts,” said Christine Markham, National Asian Longhorned Beetle Program Director, USDA-APHIS. “The citizens of the state have greatly assisted government agencies by diligently reporting beetle sightings as well as suspected beetle tree damage which has lead to the successful detection and control of this pest, and we ask them to continue to watch out for and report signs of infestation.”

More than 91,644 trees were treated in 2004 with insecticide as a protective measure against potential infestation development. Telltale signs of possible beetle activity include three-eighths of an inch diameter, perfectly round dime-sized exit holes in a tree’s trunk, or a pile of wood shavings at its base or on its branches.

Beetle sightings should be reported to the toll-free beetle hotline at (800) 641-3934.

Related Articles:

Chicago vs. the Asian Longhorned Beetle: A Portrait of Success
This booklet tells the success story of the battle against the Asian Longhorned Beetle in Chicago. Interviews are included from private citizens, project managers and local politicians including Mayor Richard M. Daley.