ID: 

ALB has chewing mouthparts, used to bore into tree trunks and leave behind a trail of frass, an excrement of wood fibers. ALB is sexually dimorphic, with male beetles having longer antennae. Eggs are small at 5 mm. Larval stages include 5 instars that get bigger as the insect feeds. They create pupal chambers close to the surface of the bark, where they gestate for 2-3 weeks. Once developed, adults bore holes out of the bark that get up to a half inch long. ALB infest many different kinds of trees, with some preference for maples, buckeye, birch, elm and willow.

Signs and Symptoms: 

Adult females create shallow hollows called egg scars on the exterior of the tree. This may cause sap to leak. Sawdust can be found near the base of trunk or branches that had been excreted by the larvae. Larval tunneling can cause canopy loss and degradation as results of vascular damage. As adults emerge from the pupal chamber, they create exit holes the size of a pencil. Due to the large size, tunneling can cause structural damage. 

Spread and Impacts: 

First spotted in New York, 1996. This species has not been spotted in Kentucky, but had an outbreak in southern Ohio, 2011 and in South Carolina in 2020. This insect is native to Korea and China. ALB infects a wide variety of hardwood species, such as maple, box elder, and birch. 

Control: 

Preventing the spread of ALB is the best control method to slow the damage. Report any sightings using tracking apps such as iNaturalist. Infested trees should be removed, especially in urban areas. To prevent spread through timber, treating wood products is advised for most invasive pests. ALB can also travel on firewood, and it is advised to limit travel of firewood to new areas.