Source: NCDA&CS, 5/19/21


Gorgeous, vibrant maple trees are a common sight in North Carolina. These trees are some of the first to show fall color, painting our landscape. They are the second most common tree in our forests, and maples are also a favorite street or landscape tree. If you love the oranges and reds maple trees flash each fall, you may be dismayed to learn that the Asian longhorned beetle, an invasive pest of maples and other hardwoods, is getting uncomfortably close to North Carolina.

The Asian longhorned beetle is native to Asia. It feeds on about 29 species of hardwood trees, but maple is its favorite. It tunnels deeply into trees, feeding on tissues and eventually killing the trees by cutting off nutrient and water flow and reducing structural integrity.

In the U.S., the beetle was first detected in New York in 1996. Infestations have popped up sporadically in the Northeast and Midwest, but its recent discovery in South Carolina puts it closer to North Carolina than ever before. To protect the trees and forest ecosystems that we love, it is critical that infestations be reported and treated quickly. To accomplish this, we need all North Carolinians to be on the lookout—able to recognize and quickly report this beetle if you see it.

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