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FAQ's

We have produced a set of general questions and answers about the Asian longhorn beetle to provide more information about this non-native pest.

  • What does the beetle look like?

    • Adult beetles are large (around 20 - 40 mm long), shiny black with variable white markings. Particularly distinctive are their antennae, which are longer than their bodies (up to twice the body length) and are black with white/light blue bands. In appearance, they are almost identical to Citrus longhorn beetle, (Anoplophora chinensis) another non-indigenous longhorn beetle that threatens trees in Britain. Fera has produced a video on the Citrus longhorn beetle which can be viewed at: http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/plants/plantHealth/pestsDiseases/clb/clbVideo.cfm
  • What are the signs?

    • The most obvious symptoms of Asian longhorn beetle damage are the circular adult exit holes which are around 10 mm in diameter and are generally found in the main trunk and branches.

    Other signs which may be present but are much less obvious, include, piles of sawdust like droppings at the base of infested trees, scraped bark and possibly sap bleeding from the sites where eggs have been laid and bark feeding damage on smaller branches and shoots.
  • What should I do if I find one?

    • Anybody finding one of these distinctive beetles should secure the specimen (best in a sealed glass jar) and contact the Fera Plant Health Helpline 0844 2480071 or email planthealth.info@fera.gsi.gov.uk. Ideally an Inspector can then collect it. The beetles are not harmful to humans, though they should be handled with caution as they can nip, but the nip is unlikely to penetrate the skin or draw blood. Nor is it poisonous. For most people the nip is likely to be no more uncomfortable than a nip by one of our larger native beetles.
    Last updated 19/04/2012

    Fera should also be notified if there is other evidence of infestation by the Asian longhorn beetle such as exit holes in the trunk of host plants. Exit holes are generally around 10mm in diameter and found in the main trunk and branches. There is a legal obligation to report the beetle or suspicious signs included in the Plant Health (England) Order 2005 and the Plant Health (Forestry) Order 2005. These are available at www.legislation.gov.uk

  • Is it just from China, or can it come from other places?

    • Asian longhorn beetle is indigenous to China, but is also known to be present in the Korean Peninsula. There have been outbreaks in the US and some EU member states.
    Added 19/04/2012

  • Can it survive in the UK?

    • Analysis of climate data by scientists at Fera suggests that most of England and Wales and some warmer coastal areas of Scotland are suitable for beetle establishment, but south-east England and the south coast are at greatest risk.
  • How long do the beetles live?

    • The lifecycle from egg to beetle is one to two years in Asia, possibly longer in the UK. Beetles emerge from spring onwards and will mate and lay eggs, after which they die.
  • What are the main host trees for ALB?

    • Known hosts include: Acer (maples and sycamores); Aesculus (horse chestnut); Albizia (Mimosa, silk tree); Alnus (alder); Betula (birch); Carpinus (hornbeam); Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura tree); Corylus (hazel); Fagus (beech); Fraxinus (ash); Koelreuteria paniculata; Platanus (plane); Populus (poplar); Prunus (cherry, plum); Robinia pseudoacacia (false acacia/black locust); Salix (willow, sallow); Sophora (Pagoda tree); Sorbus (mountain ash, whitebeam etc); Quercus palustris (American pin oak); Quercus rubra (North American red oak); and Ulmus (elm).
    Added 19/04/2012

  • Is oak a 'host' species?

    • ALB does not appear to infest European oak species, including Britain's native oak species, sessile and pedunculate oak (Quercus petraea and Q. robur).
    Updated 18/07/2012
  • What fruit tree species does it attack?

    • The most likely species of fruit trees that could be infested by the beetle is Prunus (cherry, plum). However, apple and pear species are also potential hosts, although less favoured.
    Added 19/04/2012
  • What timber species does it attack?

    • Principally broadleaved species such as ash, birch, beech, alder, sycamore, poplar and willow. It does not infest conifer species such as spruces, pines, firs and larches, which are the major commercial timber species grown in Britain. Although ash, birch, beech, alder, sycamore, poplar and willow are grown for various specialist timber markets, their principal values lie in their contributions to the landscape, biodiversity, shade and shelter and other environmental and social benefits.
    Added 19/04/2012
  • How far can the beetle fly?

    • The beetles tend to stay close to the site of original infestation in the early stages of an outbreak. However, experimental data has shown that the beetles can fly hundreds of metres and are capable of flying distances of over 2km.
  • What are the implications of the fact that the life cycle from egg to beetle could be more than two years in the UK?

    • In North America and central and southern parts of Europe, ALB completes its life-cycle in 1-2 years, but in cooler regions the life-cycle can take up to 3 or 4 years. It is likely that in southern Britain most individuals will complete their development in 2 years, and climatic mapping work conducted at Fera suggests that conditions along the south coast and in the south east of England would be suitable for a 2 year life cycle of the pest. Further north, the beetle is less likely to be able to complete its lifecycle in 2 years. There is always an element of uncertainty about these predictions though, which results from very local variations in climate, our currently changing climate and uncertainties about the origin of the invasive beetles.
    Added 19/04/2012
  • What can be done to stop more of the beetles getting into this country from abroad?

    • Fera's Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate inspect imported material and carry out surveillance of plants moving in trade. The Forestry Commission also monitors wood packaging material, which is the main vector for ALB. This programme is kept under review in response to new or revised threats. The aim is to prevent introductions and outbreaks, but should one occur, it is tackled as a high priority. Information on the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM15) on Guidelines for regulating wood packaging material in international trade can be found on the Forestry Commission website at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6NJDRJ.
    Last updated 19/04/2012
  • How many outbreaks has the UK had previously?

    • The UK has not had any outbreaks prior to this one. There have been occasional findings of the adult beetle, the last one being found in 2010, so it is an issue we were already focused on. Our aim is to prevent outbreaks, but should one occur, it is tackled as a high priority.
  • What is the situation elsewhere in the EU?

    • The Asian longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) is an Annex IAI listed pest in the Plant Health Directive 200/29/EC, a harmful organism whose introduction into, and spread within, all Member States shall be banned.

    It is widely distributed across China where it is a pest of many deciduous trees. During the last decade, as trade flow increased heavily between China and many western countries, the importation of large amounts of untreated or inappropriately treated wood packing material containing living larval stages of pests, led to multiple accidental introductions of A. glabripennis in North America and in Europe. Outbreaks have occurred in Austria (2001), France (2003), Germany and Poland (2004), Belgium, The Netherlands and Switzerland (2011), some of which are ongoing.

    There have been a number of outbreaks in Italy where intensive surveys and eradication measures against A. glabripennis are continuing. See http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/anoplophora_glabripennis/ANOLGL_IT.htm for more information.