We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use forestresearch.gov.uk, remember your settings and improve our services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
Preparing to search
This projects aims to provide a better understanding of the risks posed by Asian longhorn beetle in the UK. The detailed information obtained by the project will also help to improve future surveys and monitoring.
The objectives of the current analysis are to:
The most important host species at Paddock Wood was sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus. Twenty-six per cent of all A. pseudoplatanus growing within the outbreak area were attacked by ALB and this species contained 70 and 98 per cent of the total larvae and adult exit holes, respectively. In comparison, only 3 per cent of field maple (Acer campestre), poplars (Populus spp.), willow (Salix spp.) and birch ( Betula pendula) were attacked. ALB larvae and pupae were found in branches with a diameter as small as 2.1 cm, but most occurred in stems and branches 4–10 cm in diameter.
Research on the ALB outbreak started in March 2012 and the analysis of the life-cycle and outbreak history are on-going.
To report a finding of Asian Longhorn Beetle to Forest Research scientists use TreeAlert.
If possible, the beetle should be caught and placed in a secure container such as a glass jar so that a Plant Health inspector can collect it.
Recent publication:
Host plant selection and resource utilisation by Asian longhorn beetle Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in southern England, by N.A. Straw, N.J. Fielding, C. Tilbury, D.T. Williams & D. Inward (2015) Forestry 88, 84–95.
Asian Longhorn Beetle Pest Alert
Asian longhorn beetle (ALB) is native to China and the Korean peninsula, and poses a serious threat to a wide range of broadleaved trees. The main pathway for entry into the UK is wood packaging material that has not been treated and individual specimens of Asian longhorn beetle have been found in the UK on a number of occasions.
In March 2012 a breeding population of ALB was confirmed by Forest Research scientists in the Paddock Wood area near Maidstone in Kent. A joint operation by the Forestry Commission, Forest Research, the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) and Defra appears to have been successful in eradicating the outbreak.
This research is funded by the Forestry Commission under the Programme Advice and Scientific Support for Tree Health
Forestry Commission policy
This research underpins the evidence base for the delivery of healthy and resilient forests and wider ecosystems which is part of the Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Action Plan
Cookies are files saved on your phone, tablet or computer when you visit a website.
We use cookies to store information about how you use the dwi.gov.uk website, such as the pages you visit.
Find out more about cookies on forestresearch.gov.uk
We use 3 types of cookie. You can choose which cookies you're happy for us to use.
These essential cookies do things like remember your progress through a form. They always need to be on.
We use Google Analytics to measure how you use the website so we can improve it based on user needs. Google Analytics sets cookies that store anonymised information about: how you got to the site the pages you visit on forestresearch.gov.uk and how long you spend on each page what you click on while you're visiting the site
Some forestresearch.gov.uk pages may contain content from other sites, like YouTube or Flickr, which may set their own cookies. These sites are sometimes called ‘third party’ services. This tells us how many people are seeing the content and whether it’s useful.