What damage does it cause?
Adults chew slits in the bark of their host plants to lay eggs. After the eggs hatch, the developing larvae feed under the bark, forming tunnels.
Evidence of larval infestation appears as chewed wood or frass that has been ejected from the tunnels. Exit holes in timber are about finger width. Over time, the feeding larvae cause a decline in the tree’s health, which will eventually kill it.
Adults damage trees by feeding on leaves and bark. They damage the fruiting shoots of fruit trees which results in a loss of harvest.
Distribution
Asian longhorned beetle is indigenous to China but has spread to other countries including North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan.
It is the subject of eradication campaigns in Canada and a number of states in the USA, as well as within the European Union.
Hosts
Poplar trees are considered the major host. A wide range of other trees are also hosts, including alder, apple, ash, birch, elm, maple, mulberry, pear, plane tree, prunus, robinia, roses and willow.
The potential effect of Asian longhorned beetle on Australian native plants is not known.
What to look for
Look for larval tunnels in the wood up to 15mm wide. Oval-shaped exit holes about 10-15mm wide.
Look also for sawdust-like frass falling from damaged timber.