Questions and

Answers About Asian

Longhorned Beetle

Control Treatments

Q. What is the U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA) doing to control the Asian longhorned

beetle (ALB)?

A. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service (APHIS), with State and local cooperators,

treats host trees not infested with ALB during spring

and fall months within quarantine areas.

Uninfested ALB–host trees within a minimum of

one-eighth of a mile from infested tree locations are

treated in the ALB- infested areas of Illinois, New

York, and New Jersey. Tree species receiving 

treatments for potential ALB infestations include

maple, birch, horse chestnut, willow, elm, and ash.

The Asian Longhorned Beetle Cooperative

Eradication Project is comprised of the New York

State Department of Agriculture and Markets, City of

New York Parks and Recreation, Illinois Department

of Agriculture, Chicago Department of Streets and

Sanitation, and New Jersey Department of

Agriculture.

Q. What insecticide is used? 

A. The generic name of the insecticide is imidacloprid, one of a group of systemic chloronicotinyl insecticides having soil, seed, and foliar uses for the 

control of insects, including rice hoppers, aphids,

thrips, whiteflies, termites, turf insects, and some

beetles. Approved for ALB program use, the 

insecticide has proven to reduce beetle populations

in research completed in China and the United

States.

Q. How are the insecticide injections made to the

tree? 

A. Imidacloprid is applied through either tree trunk or

soil injections under USDA supervision. Trunk injections are applied directly into the trunk of the tree.

Soil injections are applied directly into the soil

around the base of the tree. The number of injections (trunk or soil) required per tree is dependent on

the size of the tree. Soil injections can be applied

during the spring and fall.

With both methods of injection, the insecticide

moves upward into stems, twigs, and foliage. The

intent of the injection treatments is to deliver the

active ingredient of the pesticide quickly from the site

of application to active tree growth areas, where the

beetle would be expected to feed and lay eggs.

Q. Where and when do applications take place? 

A. Treatments will be applied to the ALB–infested

areas of New York, Illinois, and New Jersey, beginning early spring and continuing through July. Fall

treatments may also be applied.

For treatment maps in New York, Illinois, and

New Jersey review the ALB Web site at

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/alb/alb.html and

select the “Insecticide Imidacloprid” section.

Q. Is this insecticide used for other things? 

A. Imidacloprid is most commonly used on rice,

cereal, maize, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets,

fruit, cotton, hops, and turf. It can be used as a seed

or soil treatment or applied to foliage. It is also used

in flea treatments for pets and in lawn care to control

white grubs.

More information about imidacloprid is available

on the Extension Toxicology Network Web site

(http://ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/). EXTOXNET is a

pesticide information project of the cooperative extension offices of Cornell University, Michigan State

University, Oregon State University, and the

University of California at Davis; major support and

funding are provided by the USDA Extension

Services’ National Agricultural Pesticide Impact

Assessment Program.

Q. How does imidacloprid aid in eradicating

ALB? 

A. When applied to susceptible host plants, imidacloprid can reduce beetle populations and contain the

spread of ALB from currently infested areas of

Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. By doing so,

many 

valuable ornamental and urban trees will be spared 

damage and loss.

Q. What previous tests have been done using

this insecticide to control ALB?

A. USDA and Chinese researchers conducted lab

and field tests both in China and the United States.

The testing of possible insecticides with systemic

activity against wood-boring beetles showed that 

imidacloprid was the most effective. The testing 

Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine January 2003

APHIS
indicated that imidacloprid was effective against adult

beetles as they feed on small twigs, and young 

larvae as they feed beneath the bark.

Q. How will these treatments affect the 

environment? 

A. The precise placement of injection treatments and

the security employed to ensure precision during applications preclude many potentially adverse environmental

effects. The environment is minimally affected because

imidacloprid residues are restricted to the tree and tree

root area.

Some nontarget insects could be affected by these

treatments, but the effects are anticipated to be temporary.

Wildlife is not expected to be affected.

Q. Can this insecticide help trees already infested

with the beetle? 

A. The effectiveness of imidacloprid injections on already

infested trees is not known at this time. Additional

research on imidacloprid and other tools and methods for

eradication, trapping, and surveying are being assessed.

Scientists continue to monitor results of this research to

determine if this treatment can help already infested trees.

Under current conditions, all infested trees will be removed

and destroyed.

Q. Are tree or soil injections used to treat any other

pests or disease? 

A. Both tree and soil injections are used to apply 

fertilizers and other insecticides. Pests targeted by these

treatments include Japanese beetles, elm leaf beetles,

mealybugs, thrips, leafhoppers, whiteflies, and aphids. In

addition, tree injection applications are used to treat Dutch

elm disease, anthracnose, woolly adelgid in hemlocks,

and oak wilt.

Helpful Links

For more information on imidacloprid, go to

EXTOXNET at: http://ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/

For more information on the Asian longhorned beetle, go

to: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/alb/alb.html

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in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to

all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture