There’s A New Tree Killing Beetle To Be On The Lookout For

(Undated)– We are now familiar with the emerald ash borer and the green insect’s threat to our foliage, but we’re also being asked to be on guard for another insect that’s equally as lethal to a much wider variety of trees. Rhonda Santos (SAN-toes), a spokeswoman for the U-S-D-A, says Iowa homeowners should examine their trees for the Asian long horned beetle and report any clues they find about the invasive pest. This wood-boring beetle has black and white antennae, shiny black bodies with white spots, and six legs. Santos says they create round holes and scars in the tree bark, sawdust-like material around the tree, and can cause branches to fall. They feed on a host of trees, including ash, birch, elm, sycamore, maple, buckeye, poplar, and willow. For more information or to report the insect or tree damage, visit Asian-long-horned-beetle-dot-com.