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Invasive beetle in the south west
An invasive non-native insect, which could harm woodland areas and garden plants in the UK, has been identified.
The Citrus Longhorn Beetle (Anoplophora chinensis) has been brought in on Acer plants (Acer palmatum or 'Japanese Maple') imported from China via the Netherlands and distributed by mail order. This pest is not established in Great Britain but there have been recent findings in Cornwall.
Although the beetle is known to have been introduced in Acers, it can affect a wide range of trees or shrubs, such as oak, beech, ash, maple, apple, pear, willow, hibiscus, horse chestnut, hornbeam, hazel, birch, mulberry and rose.
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Citrus Longhorn beetles develop inside plant stems and tree trunks, taking between one and three years to emerge, and are therefore difficult to detect.
Prior to emergence, there are no obvious symptoms of infestation or the presence of a larva or pupa within a plant or tree. However, large (6-11 mm) exit holes are left by the emerging adults in the stem. These exit holes may be just above ground level, but can also be just below ground level and as such are not visible. Other symptoms can include: 1 Scraped sections of bark.
2 Chewed leaves and damage to the petioles by adults.
3 T-shaped egg slits in bark.
4 Saw-dust like 'droppings' or wood pulp around holes and larval tunnels in the wood under loose or thin bark.
Examination of the ground at the base of the shrub or tree for signs of wood shavings provides a rapid method of detecting activity of late stage larvae.
These large black beetles grow to between 21-37mm long and have distinct white markings and long "horns" or antennae. The antennae are longer than the body and are black with white bands. It could be found on a wide range of trees or shrubs.
If anyone sees one of these distinctive beetles, isolate it in a sealed container and contact ther local Plant Health and Seeds Inspector (PHSI) details of whom can be found on the Defra website - http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/senior.htm or telephone 01904-455174.
The PHSI should also be notified if there is other evidence of Citrus Longhorn beetle infestation.
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