Asian Longhorned Beetle infestations have been found in North America. What is being done to stop ALB?

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Steps to Eradicate ALB from North America:

1) The USDA regulates the import of wood packing material, a known pathway for the insect’s movement. The federal regulations cite that all wood packing material must be heat treated or fumigated before being imported. USDA works with the Department of Homeland Security to enforce the regulations.

a) Importers must follow strict regulatory requirements.

b) Imports are inspected at "Ports of Entry" which includes airports as well as sea ports.

2) Early detection of new ALB infestations is critical to the success of ALB eradication programs in terms of time and money. Training programs such as NPDN First Detector training modules are aimed at raising awareness of ALB and teaching the public and Green Industry practitioners what to look for with ALB. 3) Quarantines prevent the spread of ALB from known infestations to new areas by

regulating the movement of materials that can spread the beetle.

a) Quarantines are initiated and administered within states by the appropriate state agency.

b) Between states by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ).

4) Extensive year-round surveys are conducted when an ALB infestation is found in the U.S. that are aimed at:

a) Finding infested trees to determine the scope of an infestation. b) Learning the boundaries of the infestation (= delimiting). c) Establishing quarantine areas.

d) Monitoring eradication efforts to support informed decision making. Information sources:

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Steps to Eradicate ALB from North America (Continued)

5) Tree removal eliminates ALB; it is the most effective tool to eradicate the beetle. The beetles cannot develop and live without trees.

a) Tree removal involves cutting and destroying all trees that are found to be infested.

b) In some cases, potential ALB host trees known as "High Risk Trees" because they can support the development of new beetles are also removed within a given distance to known infested trees.

c) High Risk Tree removal produces a barrier between an ALB

infestation and the surrounding area where ALB has not yet spread. 6) Insecticide treatments for ALB are problematic:

a) They will not kill ALB larvae inside trees and they are not 100% effective in protecting trees from ALB by preventing trees from becoming infested.

b) However, insecticides can provide some level of protection so they are used in conjunction with tree removal to create a barrier

between an ALB infestation and the surrounding area where beetles have not been found.

7) Continual Extensive Surveys: negative survey results are required to declare an area free of ALB infestation. This continual monitoring may last for several years.

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Information sources: 1) 11)

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4 ALB has been found in both the U.S. and Canada.

However, all infestations are relatively small and distinct. Currently, ALB infestations only exist in 3 states (Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio) and one Canadian province (Ontario).

NOTE: the graphic dots used to illustrate the ALB infestations are not the actual size of the infestations. If they were, we could hardly see them on this map!

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The relatively small and distinct ALB infestations support a clearly defined and capable goal.

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6 The goal with ALB in North America – both in the U.S. and Canada – is

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1) The eradication of ALB has been successful in several locations: a) Illinois: all distinct but connected infestations were eradicated

(discovered in 1998 – declared eradicated in 2008).

b) New York: infestations in Islip on Long Island (1999-2011), on Manhattan (1999-2013), and on Staten Island (2007-2013) were all eradicated.

c) New Jersey: all infestations were in the Greater New York City area and were eradicated (2002-2013).

d) Boston, Massachusetts: traced back to the Worcester, MA; infestation was eradicated (2010-2014).

e) Toronto, Ontario: the original infestation was declared to be

eradicated (1998-2013); however, a nearby connected infestation in Mississauga was discovered in December, 2013.

2) Early detection by reporting suspected infestations is essential to the success of ALB eradication; both in terms of time and money!

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Eradication means the complete elimination of ALB from discovered infestations and ultimately from North America.

Declaring Eradication:

1) ALB eradication is declared after continual surveys reveal no new evidence of ALB for a period of time:

a) The final time between the first "negative surveys," meaning no evidence of ALB is found, and the declaration that ALB has been eradicated is not standardized for all ALB eradication programs. b) The interval depends on the size/area of the original infestation. 2) Evidence of ALB includes all life cycle stages (eggs, adults, larvae, pupae),

adult emergence holes and oviposition sites.

3) Even after ALB has been declared eradicated, the quarantine zone as well as the area immediately surrounding the quarantine zone are continually surveyed and monitored for many years.

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ALB Eradication Programs:

The USDA APHIS Asian Longhorned Beetle website provides up-to-date information of ALB eradication efforts throughout the U.S.

The website also allows suspected infestations to be directly reported to the USDA APHIS.

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These images show a ground surveyor and a "climber" who work for an ALB Eradication program.

These are the two visual detection methods used for discovering new infestations and documenting existing infestations including determining the number of infested trees as well as delimiting (= find the outer edge) the infestation.

There are no other methods currently available for detecting ALB.

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ALB eradication programs face a number of challenges including a series detection challenge based on how heavily trees are infested with ALB.

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Detecting ALB in lightly infested trees presents a serious challenge.

These two trees were located within the ALB infestation in Bethel, OH. Note their close proximity to one another.

1) The red maple tree on the left was lightly infested:

a) There were two oviposition pits on the main stems high in the canopy; this meant the tree was infested.

b) However, despite spending a considerable amount of time

inspecting the tree, two of the authors of this training module failed to find the pits.

2) The silver maple on the right was heavily infested:

a) It was easy to find the evidence including adults, adult emergence holes, oviposition pits, and even some adult feeding damage. b) NOTE: the thinning canopy was deceptive; it was most likely more

strongly associated with a number of cultural issues rather than the ALB infestation. The tree suffered from trunk girdling roots, soil compaction (cars were sometimes parked beneath the tree), poor soil drainage, as well as other arboricultural issues.

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This image shows tell-tale evidence that this silver maple is heavily infested with ALB.

The emergence holes and oviposition pits could cause you to conclude that detecting ALB is easy!

However, this is only true with trees that have reached a certain infestation density.

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Research conducted by the USDA APHIS PPQ, Center for Plant Health

Science and Technology (CPHST) revealed a serious challenge with detecting ALB in lightly infested trees:

The research involved:

1. Trees that were deemed to be 'lightly infested," meaning that evidence of an ALB infestation was not immediately apparent, were inspected by highly trained ground surveyors and survey climbers.

2. The inspected trees were cut down and all parts of the trees were closely examined for evidence of ALB.

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• Ground Surveys conducted by highly trained personnel using binoculars were only 20 – 40% effective in identifying infested trees.

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• Surveys conducted by highly trained climbers were only 65 – 75% effective in identifying infested trees.

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Removal of "known infested" trees is the cornerstone of ALB eradication programs.

This ALB survey case study demonstrates the possible impact on the success of ALB eradication programs that is presented by the challenge with detecting ALB on lightly infested trees.

Let's start with 100 lightly infested trees; we do not yet know that the trees are infested, so we must rely on surveys:

1) Ground Surveys are conducted:

a) With an average success rate of 30%, 30 infested trees are found and removed.

b) This leaves behind 70 infested trees that were not discovered. 2) Tree Climbers then conduct a survey:

a) With an average success rate of 70%, 49 infested trees are found and removed.

b) This leaves behind 21 infested trees that were not discovered. These are "false negatives" meaning that it is believed these trees are not infested with ALB when they are infested.

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What happens to the 21 undetected infested trees (false negatives) in the ALB survey case study?

1) They will eventually become heavily infested.

2) They will serve as a continual source of new beetles!

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The ALB survey case study illustrates that lightly infested trees present a serious risk if only trees that are known to be infested are removed. This slide shows the 12 tree genera that are known as "High Risk Trees" because they all can support ALB development = the emergence of new beetles.

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"High Risk Tree Removal" (also known as "Whole Host Removal") may be part of ALB eradication programs to address the challenge presented with

detecting ALB in lightly infested trees.

a) All ALB tree hosts – whether or not they are known to be infested – are removed up to 1/2 mile from a tree that is found to be infested. b) The goal is to remove all lightly infested trees that may elude

detection.

In other words, the 21 undetected infested trees in the ALB survey case study would be removed with a High Risk Tree Removal program.

NOTE: high risk tree removal has been shown to significantly shorten the time required for the successful completion of ALB eradication.

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The effectiveness of modern insecticides may support an uninformed impression that insecticides alone can totally eradicate an insect pest infestation.

This is simply not true.

1. Even the best applications using the most effective insecticides typically fall short of being 100% effective.

2. This is why we use words such as, "Pest Management, or "Pest

Suppression," rather than "Pest Control." If we could totally control pests, we could eliminate them!

The realistic inability to eliminate 100% of a pest population with insecticides is why university insecticide recommendations are based on insecticide research trials that have revealed:

1. Products will eliminate 70% of a pest population.

2. Or, products will provide a desired level of protection such as maintaining healthy plants that showing little to know symptoms of being infested despite being infested.

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Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Example:

• The effectiveness of insecticide products that are recommended for

protecting ash trees from EAB is measured by how well the products work to maintain full tree canopies.

• The EAB trees may be lightly infested; however, the products are deemed effective as long as the infestation does not cause noticeable canopy dieback.

• The goal is not to eradicate EAB which is an unrealistic expectation given that EAB is widely spread across North America.

• The goal with ALB is to eradicate ALB in North America.

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Insecticides do play a role in ALB eradication programs. NOTE:

1. Insecticide trials have been conducted with ALB; however, the only place where complete trails could be conducted – those that included untreated "control" or "check" trees – were performed in China.

2. ALB eradication programs in North America require the removal and destruction of any tree that is found to be infested with ALB.

3. Infested trees cannot be left standing as "control" trees in insecticide efficacy trials conducted in North America.

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Eradication requires 100% elimination of the pest; no ALB adults, eggs, larvae, or pupae can remain behind after eradication.

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100% elimination of ALB is something that simply cannot be achieved using an insecticide alone!

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Topical insecticides have been trialed against ALB in its native country of China.

They are not used in the United States or Canada against ALB

Topical insecticides are applied to the surfaces of plants; either to the foliage or to the stems including the main trunk.

Insects are killed by:

a) Eating parts of the plant that are covered with the insecticide; the insecticide acts as a stomach poison.

b) Coming into contact with the insecticide either by walking over the treated parts of the plant or by the insecticide being sprayed directly onto the insect. These are known as "contact poisons."

Reference: Wang B., Mastro V. C., McLane W. H., Reardon R. C., Gao R.. 2000. Efficacy of pesticides on the Asian longhorned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis), pp. 66–67. In: Fosbroke S.L.C., Gottschalk K.W. (eds.),

Proceedings, U.S. Department of Agriculture Interagency Research Forum on Gypsy Moth and other Invasive Species, 18-21 January 1999, Annapolis, MD. USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station, Newtown Square, PA.

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Using topical insecticides to target ALB presents several problems: a) ALB larvae are located within the tree out of reach of contact

insecticides

b) Topical insecticides remain active for a given period of time – they may be washed from trees by rain, destroyed by exposure to ultra-violet light, or the molecules may simply fall apart so they won't last for a long time in the environment. ALB adults are present for many months which requires multiple applications.

c) ALB adults are large insects. The effective dosage for any

insecticide (or any toxin) is based on the body weight of the targeted insects; killing large insects such as ALB adults requires a higher contact dosage compared to killing smaller insects.

d) Topical insecticides are often indiscriminate insect killers: they will kill beneficial insects such as predators, parasitoid, and pollinators. There are no topical insecticides that will only kill ALB adults.

For all of these reasons, topical insecticides are not being used in ALB eradication programs.

Reference: Wang B., Mastro V. C., McLane W. H., Reardon R. C., Gao R.. 2000. Efficacy of pesticides on the Asian longhorned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis), pp. 66–67. In: Fosbroke S.L.C., Gottschalk K.W. (eds.),

Proceedings, U.S. Department of Agriculture Interagency Research Forum on Gypsy Moth and other Invasive Species, 18-21 January 1999, Annapolis, MD.

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USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station, Newtown Square, PA.

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Systemic insecticides have been trialed against ALB in its native country of China.

1. For ALB, a systemic insecticide is applied to the soil (by drench or injection into the soil) or injected directly into the tree. Other systemic insecticides that are used to manage other insects may be sprayed onto the trunk; this is not a systemic application method used in ALB eradication programs. 2. Systemic insecticides remain inside the tree and are carried throughout the

tree by the vascular system = systemic. Because they remain inside the tree, they have a much lower environmental impact compared to topical insecticides.

3. Thus far, the only insecticide for which there is complete research data against ALB is imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide. Imidacloprid is used and continues to be used in ALB eradication programs in conjunction with other eradication tools.

Reference: USDA APHIS Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program, Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement—March 2015. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ea/downloads/2015/Draft-Programmatic-ALB-Eradication-Program-EIS.pdf

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There are a number of problems associated with using a systemic insecticide against ALB:

1. Once ALB larvae move into the wood of the tree – the xylem – they are out of reach of systemic insecticides. This same challenge is also true for other longhorned beetles.

2. For this reason, ALB adults are targeted with systemic insecticides rather than the larvae.

3. However, research in China revealed the imidacloprid does not provide 100% control of ALB which is why it is always used in conjunction with other eradication tool in U.S. eradication programs.

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This slide is a review of slides in an earlier module showing the concentric rings of a tree starting from the outside inward:

1. Bark: protects the tree

2. Phloem: carbohydrates flow up and down through the phloem. This ring is much thinner on a mature tree stem compared to the relative size shown in this graphic; usually, "debarking" a tree also removes the phloem.

3. Cambium: only 3 cell layers thick; it appears as slime on the surface of the xylem. The cells can differentiate to become phloem to the outside or xylem to the inside. When exposed to oxygen, they can become callus (wound) tissue to seal wounds.

4. Xylem: multiple rings; this is the "wood" of the tree and is used to transport water and nutrients up the tree from the roots as well as providing

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31 This graphic illustrates where systemic insecticides are active in the tree;

where they can kill wood boring insects:

• The phloem is an effective zone for systemic insecticides; they will kill boring insects that feed on the phloem.

• The xylem is not effective zone for systemic insecticides; for reasons not clearly understood, they do not kill borers that feed on the xylem.

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This slide illustrates where ALB larvae feed inside the tree.

Note that the location changes as ALB larvae continue to develop; however, ALB larvae spend most of their development inside the wood of the tree = the xylem.

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33 This slide illustrates the problem with trying to suppress ALB with a systemic

insecticides.

1. Some early instar ALB larvae may be killed if they feed on the phloem; however, this is only a small percentage.

2. Once ALB larvae make their way into the xylem of the tree; the wood, they are out of the reach of systemic insecticides.

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The first image shows the xylem; the area of the tree where systemic insecticides are not effective against wood boring insects.

The second image shows a final stage (final instar) ALB larva; this is the stage just before the larva pupates.

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35 If this maple were treated with a systemic insecticide, the larva would still

pupate and emerge as a new adult.

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This image shows ALB adult female feeding damage:

the female beetles strip the bark to feed on the sugar-rich underlying phloem tissue.

NOTE: although the damage shown in this image makes it appear that female adult feeding activity can cause noticeable damage that could be used to detect an ALB infestation, females only cause a small amount of feeding. Damage like this is difficult to find even on heavily infested trees.

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ALB adult females feed on the phloem tissue on twigs and on leaf veins.

1. It is called "maturation feeding" and is required by newly emerged females to gain nutrients and energy to mature their eggs as well as to support mating and egg laying activities.

2. A systemic insecticide in the phloem may also be consumed during this feeding period to kill the female beetles.

3. The impact on beetles depends on how much of the insecticide they consume (the dosage).

a) A lethal dosage means the beetles are killed.

b) However, even a sub-lethal dosage can have some impact by affecting egg laying activity.

4. Unfortunately, lethal and even effective sub-lethal dosages are not consumed 100% of the time; thus, insecticides are not 100% effective.

5. Also, there is always a chance that females will move from a treated tree to an untreated tree to feed and lay eggs.

NOTE: as indicated in Module 3, "ALB Host Selection, Impacts, and Beetle

Development," some (but not all) early instar ALB larvae may elect to feed for a short time on phloem tissue. Likewise, these larvae may be killed by a systemic

insecticide. However, since most early instar larvae bore directly into the xylem without feeding on the phloem which puts them out of reach of systemic insecticides, the insecticides have a limited impact on reducing ALB populations by killing the larvae.

Reference: USDA APHIS Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program, Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement—March 2015.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ea/downloads/2015/Draft-Programmatic-ALB-Eradication-Program-EIS.pdf

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These images show insecticide applications being used as a tool in U.S. ALB Eradication programs..

The treatment methods are soil and trunk injections of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid systemic insecticide

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There are limitations to using insecticides against ALB:

1) Eradication requires the complete elimination of ALB; this means insecticide treatments would need to be 100% effective, or very nearly so.

2) Field trials conducted in China revealed a range of effectiveness for insecticides against ALB; from 55 – 90%

3) The systemic insecticide, imidacloprid, has been used in ALB eradication programs:

a) They are not typically used in the core zone of the infestation where there are very high numbers of infested trees as well as beetles emerging from the trees.

b) They are used to produce a barrier around the core zone to prevent further spread; all high risk trees (ALB hosts) are treated up to 1/2 miles from an outer-edged tree that was known to be infested.

c) The target for control are adult beetles.

d) Imidacloprid is always used in conjunction with other eradication tools; never as a stand-alone eradication method.

4) The stipulation is that a treated tree will be cut down and destroyed if it becomes infested.

References:

USDA APHIS Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program, Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement—March 2015.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ea/downloads/2015/Draft-Programmatic-ALB-Eradication-Program-EIS.pdf

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Field Evaluations of Systemic Insecticides for Control of Anoplophora

glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in China. J. Econ. Entomol. 99(2): 383-392

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A primary ALB eradication tool is the chain saw; trees are cut down and destroyed.

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The series of images in the slide show the steps in converting ALB trees into shredded chips that are no longer ALB "Regulated Material."

1) Trees are marked and cut down:

a) These are trees that have been found to be infested with ALB as indicated by oviposition pits or adult emergence exit holes. b) Where "High Risk Tree Removal" (also known as "Whole Host

Removal") is occurring, these would include all known hosts of ALB within up to 1/2 mile of a tree that is known to be infested.

*Reference: Wang B. D., V. C. Mastro, W. H. McLane. 2000. Impacts of chipping on surrogates for the longhorned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in logs. J. Econ. Entomol. 93: 1832–1836.

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2) All parts of the cut down trees are transported to a location within the quarantine zone where they can be collected and processed.

NOTE: in some ALB eradication programs, where it is feasible, cut trees are processed on-site.

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3) All parts of the trees are processed into mulch using a tub grinder. "Chippers" may also be used; however, the material may need to be re-processed a number of times to produce the desired size dimensions of the resulting material.

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There can be no pieces of the resulting mulch material that are greater that 1" in size measured in two dimensions. This may require that the material is passed through a grinder more than once.

Tree material that is reduced to this size can no longer support the

development of ALB: eggs cannot hatch into viable larvae; larvae cannot feed and develop into pupae with the resulting production of new beetles.

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Once processed to the prescribed dimensions, the mulch is no longer

considered ALB "Regulated Material" since it will not harbor any ALB life stage. The mulch can be used both within as well as outside of the ALB Quarantine Zone

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Overarching Impact:

Successful eradication of ALB in North America is critical to the future of our urban and forest trees as well as the future of industries associated with those trees such as landscape companies, tree care companies, nurseries, and forest products

companies.

If ALB were allowed to escape eradication, the impact would be environmentally and economically catastrophic to both the United States and Canada!

This is why import regulations, detection, and quarantines are so important: they not only prevent ALB from becoming widespread in North America; they also reduce the need for more eradication programs.

Impact to Property Owners:

ALB eradication programs can impact property owners within an ALB eradication zone. This row of mature silver maples are located next to a driveway leading to a home. The trees were found to be infested with ALB; they were marked, cut down, and destroyed. Their removal dramatically changed the aesthetics of the

homeowners landscaping.

While the impacts of eradicating ALB may be difficult, if the infested trees were left to stand, they would become series liabilities for the property owner who would have to deal with falling branches and eventually dead trees on their property.

Remember: the total costs for tree removal in ALB Eradication programs in the U.S. have been paid for by the Eradication programs. Property owners have not been

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charged for tree removal.

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