Press Release

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

USDA TO TREAT TREES IN ILLINOIS FOR ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE

CHICAGO, April 9, 2004--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is treating approximately 89,000 trees susceptible to the Asian longhorned beetle in Illinois. On April 6, APHIS implemented its on-going Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) Cooperative Eradication Program 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. USDA will continue to use this insecticide to treat a greater portion of the 34.5-square mile quarantine area in Illinois.

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, 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 1,553 trees in and around the city of Chicago.

Since its initial discovery in Illinois in 1998, 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 Illinois.

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 (312) 742-3385. The public can also help by looking for ALB, 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 1-800-641-3934.

APHIS, USDA’s Forest Service, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation and the Chicago Bureau of Forestry participate in the ALB Cooperative Eradication P rogram.

For more information, visit the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov, click on the search button and type ALB.

Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Access the APHIS home page by pointing your Web browser to http://www.aphis.usda.gov and clicking on the "News" button.