Asian
Longhorned Beetle
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Identification
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Asian Longhorned
Beetle
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The Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) is large, ranging from 0.75-1.25 inches long, with very long black and white antennae. The body is glossy black with irregular white spots. These beetles feed on many species of hardwood trees. Adults can be seen from late spring to fall depending on the climate. This beetle was introduced from China and is currently limited to areas within the cities of Chicago and New York. |
Look-alikes
The following are insects are common to the United States and are NOT THE ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE. |
Oregon Fir Sawyer
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Monochamus oregonensis Click image for a larger view Photo by Richard Worth |
This Oregon fir sawyer is the western
counterpart of the whitespotted pine sawyer. It feeds on
Douglas-fir, the true firs, and pine trees of western North
America. Adults range from 0.75-1.25 inches in
length. Adults emerge in late spring and can be seen all summer
(depending on climate). |
Southern
Whitespotted Sawyer
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Click images for larger view |
Found in the eastern and southeastern states. This species is similar to M. carolinensis. Adults are 0.75 to 1.25 long. They feed on a variety of pines, mostly attacking those that are dead or dying. Adults are active from late spring to late fall depending on climate. These beetles are distinguished from ALB by their reddish gray mottled color. |
Northeastern Sawyer
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Click images for larger view |
Found
in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada, westward to the Great
Lakes. They breed in many species of dead and dying conifer
trees, commonly in white pine and balsam fir. Adults are up to
1.5 inches long and are a mottled brown/white color. Males
have very long antennae. This beetle can be distinguished from ALB by its brown color and a faint white spot at the base of the wing pads. |
Cottonwood Borer
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Click images for larger view |
The
cottonwood borer is
found in the eastern US, north to New York, west to New Mexico.
Larvae and adults feed on willow and poplar, with Eastern cottonwood
being the most preferred. Adults are 1 to 1.5 inches long, making
it one of the largest longhorned beetles in the US Adults
emerge from late spring to mid summer (depending on climate) and live
about a month. Adults are black and white checkered with
black antennae. This species can be distinguished from ALB by the black antennae. ALB antennae have white bands. Also the cottonwood borer has white strips around the neck. The neck of ALB is black. |
Banded Alder Borer
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Click image for a larger view Photo by Edward Ross |
The
banded alder borer is found in New Mexico
and California, north to Alaska. Larvae and adults feed on Oregon
ash, California laurel, and New Mexico willow. Adults are 1-1.5
inches long with large black and white banded antennae and black and
white markings on the body.
These beetles are commonly mistaken for ALB in the Western US This species can be distinguished from ALB by the large white marking on the neck and the banded pattern of markings on the back (no irregular white spots). |
Broadnecked Root
Borer
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The broadneck root borer is found
throughout the Eastern US and Southern Canada. As larvae, they
feed on the roots of hardwoods including oak, chestnut, poplar and
apple. Males range in size from 1-1.25 inches. Females are
larger, ranging from 1.25-1.75 inches but have smaller antennae.
Adult males fly from May through June, females have never been observed
in flight.
This species can be distinguished from ALB by the lack of white markings on the body and the lack of white bands on the antennae. |
Sugar Maple Borer
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Click images for larger view |
Found from southern Canada to
North Carolina, extending west to Minnesota. It is considered an
economically important native pest of sugar maple, its only host.
Adults are about 1 inch long and are black with bright yellow
markings. The markings form a distinct "W" on its back The insect has been mistakenly identified as ALB because it feeds on sugar maple leaving similar exit holes. Adult sugar maple borer is easily distinguished from ALB by their bright yellow and black markings. |
Eyed Elater
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Click images for larger view |
The eyed elater is one of the
largest species of click
beetles, reaching over 1.5 inches long. This beetle is a predator
of many wood-boring insects of hardwood trees. It is not a pest
to trees. Adults have a salt and pepper like appearance with two
large false eyespots on the top of the neck (pronotum).
The Eyed Elater can be distinguished from ALB by the false eyespots, short black antennae, and the lack of distinct white spots on the wing pads. |
Western Conifer Seed
Bug
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Leptoglossus occidentalis Click images for larger view |
The western conifer seed bug is a nuisance pest in New England, where it enters homes and barns in the fall to find protection for winter. The adult is brownish and about 0.75 inches long. Like others in the Coreidae family (leaf-footed bugs), it has a flattened expansion on each of its hind legs that gives the appearance a leaf. They do not sting or bite but give off a bad smell when handled. The western conifer seed bug can be distinguished from ALB by its brown color, the lack of distinct white spots on the wing pads, and the presense of a straw-like sucking mouthpart. |
Ivory Marked Beetle
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Eburia quadrigeminata Click images for larger view |
This longhorn is Eburia quadrigeminata, also known as
the
"Ivory-marked Beetle." Adults are 0.5-0.9 inches long (12-24 mm.)
Larvae feed in dry solid
heartwood, of numerous hardwoods. This species is notorious for
emerging from furniture and flooring after as many as 10-40
years. It is distributed throughout the eastern and central United
States. The Ivory Beetle can be distinguished from ALB by its brown color, and the 6 distinct white spots with dark brown shading around rings on its back (abdomen.) |
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