Press Release

John Dodd	(301) 734-5175
Jim Rogers	(202) 720-2511

USDA TO TREAT TREES IN NEW JERSEY FOR ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE

JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 14, 2004—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will treat approximately 900 trees susceptible to the Asian longhorned beetle in New Jersey. APHIS will implement the treatment portion of its on-going Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) Cooperative Eradication Program June 21, in an effort to prevent further infestation of this destructive pest.

The trees will be injected with the insecticide imidacloprid, which has displayed promising results in past treatments.

Project officials will administer the treatments by either injecting the insecticide into the tree through small capsules placed at the base of the tree’s trunk or by injecting it into the soil surrounding the tree. Each site will be closely monitored. The insecticide is dispersed through the tree’s vascular system. This enables the insecticide to reach ALB adults feeding on small twigs and leaves and the larvae feeding beneath the bark of host trees. Imidacloprid currently is used in some store-bought lawn and garden products, by some lawn service companies to kill lawn grubs and in some domestic pet treatments to kill fleas.

The ALB, native to China and Korea, bores into healthy hardwood trees and feeds on living tree tissue during the larval stage. Later, throughout the summer, adult beetles emerge from exit holes and briefly feed on the small twigs and leaves of host trees. To fight this destructive invader, agriculture officials removed and destroyed 461 trees in and around Jersey City, N.J.

Since its initial discovery in New Jersey in 2002, tree destruction has been the only method for controlling this beetle. APHIS officials are optimistic that using imidacloprid will decrease beetle populations and future tree loss but advise that, if a tree is infested, it will be removed regardless of treatment. The goal is to eradicate this highly destructive insect from New Jersey.

Residents can assist in the eradication effort by allowing project officials access to their property to treat trees. For more information on the treatment program, call (201) 533-9610. The public can also help by looking for the Asian longhorned beetle, which 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. To report a sighting of this insect, call 1-866-BEETLE1.

APHIS, USDA’s Forest Service, New Jersey Department of Agriculture and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection participate in the ALB Cooperative Eradication Program.

For more information, visit the APHIS Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov, click on Asian longhorned beetle under “Hot Issues.”

Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Go to the APHIS home page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov and click on the "News" button.