Michigan DNR Warns Residents Beware Of Dangerous Invasive Species

As the summer season winds down in Michigan, some residents welcome the cooler weather months and being outdoors for fun fall activities. The cooler weather also provides a temporary break from some pests like mosquitos that seem to invade our summer activities. However, Michigan is far from being pest-free and officials are now urging residents to be aware of a destructive and dangerous invasive species.

Michigan DNR Warns Residents Beware Of Dangerous Invasive Species

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) watchlist identifies species that could threaten the state's environment, economy, or human health. While this invasive species isn't dangerous to humans, it causes destruction and poses another severe threat.

Get our free mobile app

The Michigan DNR urges residents to check trees for adult Asian longhorned beetles. The Asian longhorned beetle is an invasive wood-boring beetle that attacks 12 types of hardwood trees, including maples, elms, horse chestnuts, birches, and willows. August is Tree Check Month, as residents are most likely to see the beetle and the damage it causes to trees. According to the DNR website, isolated infestations in several states have caused the removal of thousands of trees in neighborhoods, parks, and natural areas. Early detection can prevent damage to the state’s forest resources, urban landscapes, and maple syrup production. The DNR says to look for the following signs:

• Round exit holes about the diameter of a pencil found in tree trunks and branches.
• Shallow, oval, or round scars in the bark, where the adult beetle chewed an egg-laying site.
• Material that looks like wood shavings lying on the ground around the tree or in the branches.
• Dead branches or limbs falling from an otherwise healthy-looking tree.

If you think you found a beetle or tree damage, report it by calling the USDA ALB hotline at 1-866-702-9938.

Read More: 8 of the World's 12 Deadliest Bugs Are in Michigan