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Godzilla destroyed cities. You knew when he was coming. He arose from the sea breathing fire and battling foes like Mothra. It was quite a show, and not much was left standing when it was over.
It’s called the Asian Longhorned Beetle. Native to countries like Japan, China, and Korea, this bug has similar powers of destruction. Unlike the legendary Godzilla, its destruction quietly takes place deep under the bark of hardwood trees like elm, maple, beech, horsechestnut, poplar, birch, and willow. But make no mistake. This beetle is bad news. The bug is about 1 inch in length, black with white speckle marks along its back, with trademark long antennae. It attacks several hardwood species of trees. Females bore into the bark of these trees to lay eggs in the late summer. When the eggs hatch, the larvae bore ever deeper into the tree to mature over the long winter. Late in the spring, the beetles emerge from the trees as adults, and begin the process once again. The repeated drilling into the tree interrupts the vascular system of the tree, causing it to weaken and die. The potential destruction to our natural woodlands would be devastating. [fig2asianlonghorneggsite.art] [fig5asianlonghornexithole.art] It was first detected in 1996 in New York, then again in 1998 in the suburban Chicago area. Major cities in the U.S. have seen the beetle first, because of its manner of arrival. http://www.aphis.usda.gov The beetle made its journey to the United States during the last 15 years as our economy grew to become more global. With a notable increase in imports from China and other Asian countries, there was a subsequent increase in wooden packing material used in shipping goods. These packing materials, primarily crates and pallets, carried the Asian Longhorn to America hidden inside the wood. Environmentalists are anxious to slow the progression of this beetle. It kills trees outright, and once a tree is infected, the only way to treat it is to cut it down, chip the wood and burn the chips. http://www.gacaps.org The beetle usually begins boring into the smaller branches at the top of the tree, making it difficult to detect infection until several years pass. During that time, there is a high probability of beetles attacking surrounding trees, making it almost impossible to eradicate. The spread is slow but sure, and the destruction absolute. This bug kills trees. The fight against Godzilla seemed pretty tough, but you can do something to slay this new dragon. Right now, you won’t see this beetle outside. It’s cozy inside some majestic 100-year-old maple tree somewhere, maybe in your own backyard. Come summertime, keep your eyes peeled for this interesting looking beetle. If you see the Asian Longhorned Beetle, please contact your state forester: Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article The Next Godzilla in Hiking in New England is owned by . Permission to republish The Next Godzilla in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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