Smart Searchers Community Leaders

Asian 

Longhorned 

Beetle

Upper Elementary and 

After-School/Summer Unit

Middle and 

High School Unit

An Educator’s Guide 

To Stopping the

Issued February 2011

Slightly revised October 2013

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 2072
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. 

(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 to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Dear Educator, 

We need your help to save America’s trees. The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), 

an invasive species, has infested trees in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and 

Massachusetts. Tens of thousands of trees have been killed or cut down to 

try to stop the spread of this harmful pest. Shady cities in New York, New Jersey, 

Illinois, and Massachusetts have been devastated, and the beauty of our forests and 

the resources they provide are in danger. Through the cooperation of Federal, State, 

and local governments and community members, we have successfully eradicated 

the ALB from Illinois and New Jersey.

Community action is critical to stopping the ALB and the other invasive animals 

and plants that threaten our environment. Thus far, every infestation has been 

reported first by an alert community member. Here’s where your students can help, 

for there are few community members who are more alert, more active, and more 

engaged outdoors than your students. 

We offer you this fun, inquiry-based program to empower your students to 

play a central role in saving your community’s trees while learning important 

science concepts. Through these flexible, standards-based units—one for Upper 

Elementary and After-School/Summer Programs, and one for Middle School and 

High School—you will easily meet your curricular needs while challenging your 

students to apply their knowledge and make a difference in their community.

We look forward to seeing you and your student “Beetle Busters” searching in 

your backyards, neighborhoods, parks, and forests, and raising awareness about the 

ALB in your communities, in person, and online. 

Sincerely, 

National Policy Manager 

Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program 
 BEETLE BUSTERS 101 .......................................................................................4

Understanding Goals .................................................................................................................................5

Inside

BEETLE BUSTERS: Smart Searchers

Upper Elementary Unit With After-School/Summer Connections ....................6

Cross-Curricular Connections...................................................................7

INTRO LESSON: Beetle Busters—Report for Duty! ...............................8

LESSON 1: Search and Report—Find the ALB.........................................9

LESSON 2: Search and Report—Follow the Signs ................................. 11

LESSON 3: Save Our Trees! .................................................................13

LESSON 4: New Recruits ....................................................................15

Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plan Worksheet.........................29

Be a Beetle Buster Family (Take-Home Flyer/English)...................30

Conviértanse En Una Familia Cazadora De Escarabajos 

(Take-Home Flyer/Spanish) .......................................................31

ALB Year-Round Calendar .......................................... Back Cover

101

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 29

ACTION CAMPAIGN PLAN WORKSHEET

1 MESSAGE

What is your message? This is not your “slogan”; it’s 

the basic information you want your audience to know.

2 TARGET AUDIENCE 

Who is your target audience? Why is this an 

important message for them, specifically?

3 METHOD

What are the different ways to reach your target 

audience (flyers, videos, events, etc.)? Think about 

your target audience, and be creative!

4 SLOGAN(S)

Write one or more fun, simple sentences or 

phrases that your target audience will like 

and remember.

5 GOALS

List the things you would like your campaign to get 

your target audience to do.

6 YEAR-LONG PLAN

Indicate when and how you would like your target 

audience to take action. Hint: Think about what they 

should do in different seasons!

7 MEASURING SUCCESS

Look at the goals you’ve listed. Write how you plan 

to measure that you accomplished all of your goals.

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

ESSON 5: NEW RECRUITS — SOCIAL NETWORKING

It’s Arbor Day, Earth Day,

and Keep America 

Beautiful Month!

Celebrate our natural world. 

Teach Lesson 3: Save 

Our Trees, and get excited 

about searching for the 

beetle in June!

ALB INACTIVE: Search for 

older exit holes and egg sites.

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that will mobilize 

your community to search 

and report starting in June. 

Celebrate National 

Physical Fitness and 

Sports Month, and take 

“ALB Search Breaks” 

before, during, and after 

physical activity.

Teach Lessons 1 and 2: 

Search and Report, and 

get students searching 

daily for signs of ALBs. 

During Great Outdoors 

Month, spend time outside 

each day searching for and 

reporting signs of ALBs, 

especially on World 

Environment Day!

Celebrate National 

Recreation and Parks 

Month by having a 

“Search Party”! Visit a 

local park, and search 

for ALBs.

Boy Scouts, 

Girl Scouts, 

4-H Groups, and 

campers: Buy 

firewood where you are 

camping. If you bring it 

with you, you might bring 

the ALB, too!

It’s Tree Check Month! 

Take 10 minutes and check 

your trees for the beetle 

 and any signs 

 of damage 

 it causes.

Back to School! Share 

“everything ALB” that you 

did over the summer. Make 

searching for ALBs part of 

the school routine.

On National Public Lands 

Day, raise community 

awareness about the ALB, 

a pest that can destroy the 

beauty of our public lands.

It’s Crime Prevention 

Month. If you live in an ALBregulated area, moving 

firewood outside of that area 

is a crime. Get the word out 

on Make a Difference Day! 

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that educate 

your community about the 

ALB and burning firewood 

where it is cut. 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October). 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(See October).

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

The leaves are gone, but 

the signs of the ALB are not. 

Teach Lesson 2: Search 

and Report — Follow the 

Signs, and look higher in the 

trees and along branches 

for ALB exit holes. 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

 awareness 

 campaigns 

 (see October).

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER

ALB INACTIVE: Adult ALBs 

die after first frost; larvae 

tunnel inside the trees.

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

ALB INACTIVE: Larvae and pupae are inside the trees, lurking just out of sight! Search for older exit holes and egg sites.

ALB YEAR-ROUND CALENDAR

DON’T MOVE

A

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT — SAVE THE TREES

APRIL MAY JUNE JULY

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT — SAVE THE TREES

 ,

123 N. Third Street Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55401 P: 612-623-8000 www.broadheadco.com

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD — SAVE THE TREES

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 30

Your child is learning to be a Beetle Buster to stop the Asian longhorned 

beetle (ALB). The ALB hurts our trees and our communities.

We ask you to join your child as a Beetle Buster. Community 

members like you helped get rid of the ALB in Illinois and 

New Jersey. Now it’s your turn to join with your child and 

be a Beetle Buster family.

 Let’s do this together!

Going camping? Ask your 

child to teach you why 

you should never move 

firewood from the location 

where it was cut. 

FAMILY ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS Raise awareness about, search for, and report the ALB!

The ALB could attack three 

out of every 10 city trees. As of 

August 2010, over 80,000 trees

have been cut down due to ALB 

infestations in New York, 

Illinois, New Jersey, and 

Massachusetts.

In the eastern United 

States alone, 4 million 

jobs depend on forests 

that are vulnerable 

to ALB!

New England produces most of the 

maple syrup for the United States. 

If the ALB reaches those forests, 

breakfast will never be the same!

DON’T MOVE For more information on the ALB, including photos, videos, information about living and working in an 

ALB-regulated area, and an online form to report your sightings, go to www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com.

Your child has learned 

about the trees the ALB 

likes to attack. As a 

family, identify the trees 

on your property that 

could host the ALB.

Your child knows how to spot the ALB 

and the signs it leaves behind. Have 

your child teach you what 

to look for, and go on a 

family beetle hunt around 

your house or in your 

neighborhood. Make this 

a part of your daily routine 

when the weather is warm! Dime-sized exit hole

United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

BE A 

BEETLE BUSTER FAMILY

UG

BEETLE BUSTERS: Community Leaders

Middle School and High School Unit ..................................................... 17

Cross-Curricular Connections............................................................... 18

INTRO LESSON: Call to Action ........................................................ 19

LESSON 1: Search and Report—Find the ALB..................................... 20

LESSON 2: Search and Report—Follow the Signs ............................... 22

LESSON 3: Save Our Trees ................................................................ 24

LESSON 4: New Recruits—Action Campaigns .................................... 26

LESSON 5: New Recruits—Social Networking .................................... 28 
Each lesson has Introductory, Guided Inquiry, and Take Action 

components that will enable your students to show what they know. 

In addition, the lessons are easy to teach, with Advance Prep sections 

and Supplemental Resources to make the most out of each one! 

101

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 9

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY

What does the ALB look like?

Break students into groups, and pass out the ALB ID 

Cards. If you have reliable computer access, you 

may also want to share the Animated ALB on 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com. 

ASK: What do you notice about the ALB?

Make a list of characteristics your students 

identify, such as the ALB’s black-and-white antennae. 

Afterward, post the “Search for the ALB” quadrant 

of the classroom poster, and have them compare 

their list to the characteristics labeled on the poster. 

Have students describe any key characteristics they 

noticed that are not already labeled on the quadrant. 

Explain that the most important task for a Beetle Buster is to 

search for the ALB and then report what he/she has found. 

Understanding Goals:

UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period

Materials

•	 Classroom Poster

• 	ALB ID Cards

• 	Animated ALB: www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

• 	White spotted sawyer photo: in the ALB Photo Gallery

• 	USDA Reporting Form: www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

UG

Tasks

•	 Make sure you have an ALB ID Card for each 

student. A template card that can be printed and 

laminated is available online. 

• 	Download and print enough copies of the white 

spotted sawyer photo. 

TEACHER TIP

The adult ALB is only visible in the summer and fall. Students

can look for signs of the beetle on trees year-round! See

“Lesson 2: Search and Report — Follow the Signs.” Six legs

White 

spots

Long black antennae 

with white bands

Shiny 

black 

body

May have 

blue feet

LESSON 1: SEARCH AND REPORT — FIND THE ALB

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 10

GUIDED INQUIRY

Is it an ALB?

Give each group a copy of the white spotted sawyer photo

(see Advance Prep). 

Explain that the white spotted sawyer is a native beetle 

(not an invasive species) that can be confused with the ALB. 

These are the telltale differences between the white spotted 

sawyer and the ALB:

•	 The white spotted sawyer has one white dot between the

tops of its wings. The ALB does not have this dot.

•	 The white spotted sawyer’s wings are rough and bronzish-black.

The ALB has shiny, smooth black wings with white spots.

In their groups, have students create a Venn Diagram, comparing the physical appearance of the ALB 

to the white spotted sawyer. Have groups share what they’ve found, and create a class list of similarities 

and differences to post on the Wanted Wall. (See “Intro Lesson: Beetle Busters — Report for Duty!” for

more about the Wanted Wall.)

TAKE ACTION! 

Search for the ALB

Use the ALB ID Cards to search for the ALB in the fall as part of your weekly class routine, or in the 

summer for out-of-school groups. Bring a camera and jars to capture live beetles (and freeze them for later

identification). Report any ALB sightings using the USDA Reporting Form.

Measure Your Progress

Have students drop a paper clip or other small object into a clear plastic “tally bottle” to record the number

of times they search. Each month, have students estimate and then count the objects in the bottle. 

Record the results on a bar graph. Keep a similar tally for the number of ALBs, or signs of

ALBs, found and reported. Compare the search graph to the report graph. Have students 

draw conclusions about the probability of an ALB problem in your community. 

Create a “Wanted” Poster

Have each student create a “Wanted” poster with an image

of the ALB and information on how to identify and report it. 

Students can bring their posters home and raise awareness

by posting them in their neighborhood. 

Take the Learning Home

Send home copies of the Be a Beetle Buster Family

Take-Home Activity (see pp. 30–31) to encourage families 

to search for and report the ALB.

TEACHER TIP

Make it a competition! Give each student his/her own 

“tally bottle,” and challenge the class to see who can

go on the most searches.

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 6

In this unit, your students will become Beetle Busters, helping to 

protect the trees in their communities by searching for and reporting 

any signs of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).

You may choose to begin with the lessons starting on page 8, or

start by checking out the Cross-Curricular and After-School/

Summer Program Connections on the next page.

Smart Searchers

Upper Elementary with After-School/Summer Connections

SPECIAL NOTE

for After-School/Summer Educators: 

This Beetle Busters program offers a number of activities 

suitable for Scout troops, 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., 

summer camps, and other after-school/summer programs.

This handy symbol highlights active lessons that 

can be accomplished with minimal prep time. 

Look for it throughout this unit! 

Scouting and 4-H Groups: Wondering what specific 

badges and activities might connect to the ALB? Check under 

Get Involved at www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com for a 

complete list! 

A

17

As Beetle Busters, your students will be community leaders

as they meet content standards while building scientific-inquiry, 

leadership, and civic engagement skills. 

Get started with the lessons beginning on page 19, or take a 

moment and review the Cross-Curricular Connections on 

the next page. Any subject can serve as an opportunity to learn 

about, search for, and raise awareness about the invasive ALB! 

COMMUNITY LEADERS

Middle School and High School Unit

SPECIAL NOTE

for High School Science Educators 

Biology Extensions at the end of each 

lesson challenge high school biology, 

ecology, and environmental science students 

to explore topics in-depth and show their 

understanding in complex ways. 

1

XE TI OH LES

EGG SITES

WEEPING SAP

FRASS

TUNNELING NI WOOD PUPA C AH B M RE

ADULT

EGG

LARVA

PU AP

For more pictures, videos, and information go to 

www.beetlebusters.info For more pictures, videos, and information go to www.beetlebusters.info

For more pictures, videos, and information go to 

www.beetlebusters.info For more pictures, videos, and information go to www.beetlebusters.info

New England produces most of 

the maple syrup for the United 

States. If the ALB reaches those 

forests, breakfast will never be 

the same!

Six legs

White 

spots

Long black antennae 

with white bands

Shiny 

black 

body

May have 

blue feet

SEARCH FOR THE

CODE NAME: ALB

INCHES Body: 1 to 1 1

/2 inches

Actual size

BE A 

AMERICA’S TREES

It’s attacking our trees!

Look for the beetle on or near the trees it likes:

FOLLOW THE 

SEARCH

ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE

SAVE BEETLE BUSTER

As a Beetle Buster, I will search

for the beetle and report to the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA) when I see the ALB or 

the signs it leaves behind.

To report an ALB sighting or signs of the beetle, go to:

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

For more pictures, videos, and information, go to 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

For more pictures, videos, and information, go to 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Maple Elm Willow Horse Chestnut

The beetle also prefers: Birch, Ash, London Plane Tree, Poplar, Hackberry, 

Golden Rain Tree, Mountain Ash, Mimosa, and Katsura.

for the ALB summer fall

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued May 2013 Program Aid No. 2070

SEARCH

SAVE

SIGNS

REPORT

Don’t move firewood because DON’T MOVE

you could be moving the ALB.

In the Eastern United

States alone, 4 million 

jobs depend on forests 

that are vulnerable to ALB!

In Worcester, MA, more 

than 25,000 trees 

had to be cut down in 

1 year due to the ALB.

SIGNS

SEARCH for the signs all year round.

Spot the ALB in the different stages of its life cycle. Find the signs it leaves behind.

For more pictures, videos, and information, go to 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

For more pictures, videos, and information, go to 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Look Here First!

Before using this guide, we suggest you get to know the Asian longhorned beetle, otherwise known as 

the “ALB,” by going to the Beetle Busters Web site at www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com. 

There, you’ll find information on the ALB’s history, current whereabouts, identifying features, and signs of 

infestation, along with news on current actions to regulate and eradicate the ALB. The site also has a 

special section just for educators, with supplemental educational resources, photos, videos, and links to 

other sites where you can learn more.

Make This Guide Work for You

You can teach these units sequentially in 1 week, or 

you can pick and choose activities throughout the year. 

Each unit also has Cross-Curricular Connections

to take the learning further.

Check out the ALB Year-Round Calendar (see back 

cover). It offers timing suggestions for teaching the 

lessons throughout the year. 

The Classroom Poster and ID Card provide key ALB information at a glance 

while serving as essential components for the lessons in each unit. 

The poster is divided into quadrants. As you teach the unit, you 

will “build” the poster as you go, revealing a new quadrant once you have 

completed the lesson in which it is used. Or, in some cases, you might post 

the quadrant during the lesson as a visual teaching tool.

Students will start by using the 

ID Card during the lessons. Afterward, it can be 

attached to a key chain or slipped into a pocket, 

enabling students to “take the learning with them” 

as they search for the ALB. 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 7

 

Cross-Curricular and After-School/Summer Program

The inquiry-based lessons in this unit are all designed to address core subject areas including Science, Math, and 

Language Arts. The following are supplemental suggestions that will help your students “think ALB” each day. 

Morning Meeting:

Set aside time each morning to ask students about the results 

of their ALB searching on the previous day. Have them also 

share any new ALB information they’ve learned from books, 

newspaper articles, television, radio, or Web stories and add it 

to the Wanted Wall. (See “Intro Lesson: Beetle Busters — 

Report for Duty!” for more about the Wanted Wall.)

Calendar Work: 

Create a “Search for Signs” icon for the winter 

and spring when adult ALBs are not active, 

and a “Search for ALBs & Signs” icon for the 

summer and fall when adult ALBs emerge from 

trees. Have students place the appropriate 

icon on your class’s daily calendar, and make 

searching part of your class routine! 

Physical Education/Sports/Recess: 

Before, during, or after physical activity, have an 

“ALB break” to check for ALBs and signs of ALB 

activity. Bring a camera to document sightings 

and signs, along with jars to capture live beetles 

(and freeze them for later identification). Report 

any ALB sightings or signs of ALBs using the 

USDA Reporting Form 

(www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com/report-yourALB-sightings.php).

Service Learning:

Have students write a story (individually or as a class) about 

a Beetle Buster boy or girl who saves the day by eradicating 

ALBs from his/her neighborhood. Have students share their 

Beetle Buster stories with younger elementary students and 

engage in peer-to-peer discussions about the importance of 

trees and the eradication of the ALB.

Art: 

Have students design 

Beetle Busters T-shirts 

to wear when they 

search for the ALB! 

Music:

As a class, create a short, rhyming song that 

highlights the unique characteristics of the ALB. 

You may want to include movement with the song 

to help students remember the distinctive parts 

of the ALB; for example, raising arms above their 

heads could represent long antennae. Stream 

the song on your school’s website, or make a 

music video! 

Field Trips:

Visit your local science museum to talk to 

experts about the ALB, and see how they are 

working to stop the beetle. 

Vacations: 

The summer and other school breaks 

are the perfect times for students to 

look for the ALB (and signs of the ALB) 

far from their own backyards. 

1) Choose your grade-appropriate unit. 

2) Review the integrated components of the program. 

FIND IT. REPORT IT. SAVE TREES.

1-866-702-9938 com . EETLE b ORNED gh ON L ASIAN

White

spots

Shiny

black

body

Six legs

May have 

blue feet

Long black antennae 

with white bands

Actual size

REPORT IT AT

1-866-702-9938

ASIANLONghORNEDbEETLE.com

HOW TO CHECK 

YOUR TREES:

Take 10 minutes. •

Look for signs of •

the beetle.

Report any sightings. •

August is “tree •

check” month.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued October 2013

Program Aid No. 2145

CheCk your trees for the 

ASIAN

LONghORNED

bEETLE (also known as ALB)

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Larva in 

chopped wood

look for the SIgNS You can see the adult ALB from 

June through October, but 

you can spot the signs year-round.

Round exit hole

Egg sites 

on bark

Frass (sawdust-like material)

Pupa in chopped wood

Adult beetle

Trees aTTacked:

• Ash

• Birch

• Elm

• Golden

raintree

• Hackberry

• Horsechestnut

• Katsura 

• London

planetree

• Maple

• Mimosa

• Mountain ash

• Poplar

• Willow

Exit hole

3) Start your ALB adventure!

You can also get the latest updates by following the ALB 

on Facebook and Twitter!
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 5

For detailed explanations of the standards cited, go to:

• NSES: www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962&page=1

• NCTE/IRA: www.ncte.org/standards

• NAAEE’s Excellence in Environmental Education—Guidelines for Learning (Pre K–12): 

www.naaee.org/npeee/learner_guidelines.php

• 21st Century Skills: www.21stcenturyskills.org

UG UNDERSTANDING GOALS

UG 1 Students will understand how the 

invasive ALB can have a large 

impact on their lives and their 

communities. 

STUDENT VERSION

Why should I care about the ALB?

STANDARDS

• NSES: Content Standards A, C, F, G

• NCTE/IRA: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Students will understand how, when, 

and where to search for the ALB (and 

the signs of its activity) and how to 

prevent the beetle from spreading to 

other communities.

STUDENT VERSION

Where is the ALB now? How can we stop it?

STANDARDS

• NSES: Content Standards A, C, F, G

• NCTE/IRA: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

UG 3 Students will understand how to 

mobilize their peers, family, and 

community members to search for, 

raise awareness about, and eradicate 

the ALB. 

The Understanding Goals (UG) described in this section and the lessons that support them are aligned with The 

National Academies Press’s National Science Education Standards (NSES), as well as The National Council of 

Teachers of English and The International Reading Association’s The Standards for the English Language Arts

(NCTE/IRA). The North American Association for Environmental Education’s (NAAEE) Excellence in Environmental 

Education—Guidelines for Learning (Pre K–12), and the standards for 21st Century Skills, were also consulted 

throughout program development. 

UG 2 

STUDENT VERSION

What can I do about the ALB?

STANDARDS

• NSES: Content Standards A, C, F, G

• NCTE/IRA: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 6

In this unit, your students will become Beetle Busters, helping to 

protect the trees in their communities by searching for and reporting 

any signs of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).

You may choose to begin with the lessons starting on page 8, or

start by checking out the Cross-Curricular and After-School/

Summer Program Connections on the next page.

Smart Searchers

Upper Elementary With After-School/Summer Connections

SPECIAL NOTE

for After-School/Summer Educators: 

This Beetle Busters program offers a number of activities 

suitable for Scout troops, 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., 

summer camps, and other after-school/summer programs.

This handy symbol highlights active lessons that 

can be accomplished with minimal prep time. 

Look for it throughout this unit! 

Scouting and 4-H Groups: Wondering what specific 

badges and activities might connect to the ALB? Check under 

Get Involved at www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com for a 

complete list! 

A
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 7

Cross-Curricular and After-School/Summer Connections

The inquiry-based lessons in this unit are all designed to address core subject areas including Science, Math, and 

Language Arts. The following are supplemental suggestions that will help your students “think ALB” each day. 

Morning Meeting:

Set aside time each morning to ask students about the results 

of their ALB searching on the previous day. Have them also 

share any new ALB information they’ve learned from books, 

newspaper articles, television, radio, or Web stories and add it 

to the Wanted Wall. (See “Intro Lesson: Beetle Busters—

Report for Duty!” for more about the Wanted Wall.)

Calendar Work: 

Create a “Search for Signs” icon for the winter 

and spring when adult ALBs are not active, 

and a “Search for ALBs & Signs” icon for 

summer and fall when adult ALBs emerge from 

trees. Have students place the appropriate 

icon on your class’s daily calendar, and make 

searching part of your class routine! 

Physical Education/Sports/Recess: 

Before, during, or after physical activity, have an 

“ALB break” to check for ALBs and signs of ALB 

activity. Bring a camera to document sightings 

and signs, along with jars to capture live beetles 

(and freeze them for later identification). Report 

any ALB sightings or signs of ALBs using the 

USDA Reporting Form (www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com/report-your-ALB-sightings.php).

Service Learning:

Have students write a story (individually or as a class) about 

a Beetle Buster boy or girl who saves the day by eradicating 

ALBs from his/her neighborhood. Have students share their 

Beetle Buster stories with younger elementary students and 

engage in peer-to-peer discussions about the importance of 

trees and the eradication of the ALB.

Art: 

Have students design 

Beetle Busters T-shirts 

to wear when they 

search for the ALB! 

Music:

As a class, create a short, rhyming song that 

highlights the unique characteristics of the ALB. 

You may want to include movement with the song 

to help students remember the distinctive parts 

of the ALB; for example, raising arms above their 

heads could represent long antennae. Stream 

the song on your school’s Web site, or make a 

music video! 

Field Trips:

Visit your local science museum to talk to 

experts about the ALB, and see how they are 

working to stop the beetle. 

Vacations: 

The summer and other school breaks 

are the perfect times for students to 

look for the ALB (and signs of the ALB) 

far from their own backyards. 
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 8

INTRO ACTIVITY

ADVANCE PREP

What is the ALB?

If you have reliable computer access, show your students the PSA/TV ad from 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com. If not, show them the “Search for the ALB”

quadrant of the classroom poster. Explain that the ALB is an invasive species that 

came to the United States in wooden packing material from Asia. Since it was first 

found in Brooklyn, NY, in 1996, the ALB has destroyed thousands of trees. 

Introduce the Wanted Wall as the place for students to post questions they have 

about the ALB.

ASK: What do you already know about the ALB? What would you like to learn?

Record their answers to both questions, and post them on the Wanted Wall. 

Explain to your students that USDA/APHIS needs their help. USDA is encouraging them to be 

Beetle Busters to help catch a dangerous insect that has come to the United States and is killing our 

trees—the Asian longhorned beetle (code name: ALB). 

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period

Materials

• Bulletin board/wall space

• Public Service Announcement (PSA)/TV ad: under 

“Get Involved” at www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

• Classroom Poster

• Slips of paper

• Several relevant articles or other information about the 

ALB in your area or an area near you

Tasks

• Create the Wanted Wall. Designate a bulletin board or 

wall space, and label with the words “Wanted: ALB.” 

Post local articles or other information about the ALB. 

• Make Beetle Busters slips. See “What can I do to help?” 

(below) for sample phrases.

• Optional: For articles and videos on the ALB and how it 

came to the United States, check out Get Involved.

What can I do to help?

ASK: Why do you think kids like you make good Beetle Busters?

Pass out the Beetle Busters slips, and have your students fill them out, 

completing the following statements: 

• Kids make great Beetle Busters because ... 

• I want to help stop the ALB because ... 

Discuss their answers as a class, and add their Beetle Busters slips to the Wanted Wall. 

Show students the “Report: Be a Beetle Buster” quadrant of the classroom 

poster. Ask them to repeat the Beetle Busters’ pledge aloud: 

As a Beetle Buster, I will search for the beetle and report to the USDA when I see 

the ALB or the signs it leaves behind. I will tell my friends, family, and community 

how to stop the ALB so they can be Beetle Busters, too!

Post this quadrant on the Wanted Wall so students can remember their pledge and quickly 

see how to report ALBs.

As you complete the other 

lessons in this unit, have your 

students revisit and answer the 

questions they posted on the 

Wanted Wall during this Intro 

Lesson. They can also post new 

questions as they come up! 

TEACHER TIP

Kids make great Beetle 

Busters because ...

I want to help stop the 

ALB because ...

INTRO LESSON: BEETLE BUSTERS—REPORT FOR DUTY!
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 9

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY

What does the ALB look like?

Break students into groups, and pass out the ALB ID 

Cards. If you have reliable computer access, you 

may also want to share the Animated ALB on 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com. 

ASK: What do you notice about the ALB?

Make a list of characteristics your students 

identify, such as the ALB’s black-and-white antennae. 

Afterward, post the “Search for the ALB” quadrant 

of the classroom poster, and have them compare 

their list to the characteristics labeled on the poster. 

Have students describe any key characteristics they 

noticed that are not already labeled on the quadrant. 

Explain that the most important task for a Beetle Buster is to 

search for the ALB and then report what he/she has found. 

Understanding Goals:

UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period

Materials

• Classroom Poster 

• ALB ID Cards

• Animated ALB: www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 

• White spotted sawyer photo: in the ALB Photo Gallery 

• USDA Reporting Form: www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

UG

Tasks

• Make sure you have an ALB ID Card for each 

student. A template card that can be printed and 

laminated is available online. 

• Download and print enough copies of the white 

spotted sawyer photo. 

TEACHER TIP

The adult ALB is only visible in the summer and fall. Students 

can look for signs of the beetle on trees year-round! See

“Lesson 2: Search and Report—Follow the Signs.” Six legs

White 

spots

Long black antennae 

with white bands

Shiny 

black 

body

May have 

blue feet

FIND IT. REPORT IT. SAVE TREES.

1-866-702-9938 com . EETLE b ORNED gh ON L ASIAN

White

spots

Shiny

black

body

Six legs

May have 

blue feet

Long black antennae 

with white bands

Actual size

REPORT IT AT

1-866-702-9938

ASIANLONghORNEDbEETLE.com

HOW TO CHECK 

YOUR TREES:

Take 10 minutes. •

Look for signs of •

the beetle.

Report any sightings. •

August is “tree •

check” month.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued October 2013

Program Aid No. 2145

CheCk your trees for the 

ASIAN

LONghORNED

bEETLE (also known as ALB)

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

LESSON 1: SEARCH AND REPORT—FIND THE ALB
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 10

GUIDED INQUIRY

Is it an ALB?

Give each group a copy of the white spotted sawyer photo

(see Advance Prep). 

Explain that the white spotted sawyer is a native beetle 

(not an invasive species) that can be confused with the ALB. 

These are the telltale differences between the white spotted 

sawyer and the ALB:

• The white spotted sawyer has one white dot between the 

tops of its wings. The ALB does not have this dot.

• The white spotted sawyer’s wings are rough and bronzish-black. 

The ALB has shiny, smooth black wings with white spots.

In their groups, have students create a Venn Diagram, comparing the physical appearance of the ALB 

to the white spotted sawyer. Have groups share what they’ve found, and create a class list of similarities 

and differences to post on the Wanted Wall. (See “Intro Lesson: Beetle Busters—Report for Duty!” for 

more about the Wanted Wall.)

TAKE ACTION! 

Search for the ALB

Use the ALB ID Cards to search for the ALB in the fall as part of your weekly class routine, or in the 

summer for out-of-school groups. Bring a camera and jars to capture live beetles (and freeze them for later 

identification). Report any ALB sightings using the USDA Reporting Form.

Measure Your Progress

Have students drop a paper clip or other small object into a clear plastic “tally bottle” to record the number 

of times they search. Each month, have students estimate and then count the objects in the bottle. 

Record the results on a bar graph. Keep a similar tally for the number of ALBs, or signs of 

ALBs, found and reported. Compare the search graph to the report graph. Have students 

draw conclusions about the probability of an ALB problem in your community. 

Create a “Wanted” Poster

Have each student create a “Wanted” poster with an image 

of the ALB and information on how to identify and report it. 

Students can bring their posters home and raise awareness 

by posting them in their neighborhood. 

Take the Learning Home

Send home copies of the Be a Beetle Buster Family

Take-Home Activity (see pp. 30–31) to encourage families 

to search for and report the ALB.

TEACHER TIP

Make it a competition! Give each student his/her own 

“tally bottle,” and challenge the class to see who can 

go on the most searches.
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 11

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY

Where is the ALB?

Explain that to know how to find the ALB and to understand why it is 

such a threat to our trees, students need to learn about the ALB life 

cycle. Show the class your modified “Follow the Signs” quadrant, 

and give them their own copies to follow along. 

ASK: Why do you think the tree is at the center of the diagram?

Explain that a hardwood tree (broad leaves, usually deciduous) is the 

most important thing in an ALB’s life. It provides food and shelter. 

ASK: How does the tree in the diagram relate to the ALB’s life cycle? 

• Adult ALBs are only visible during the summer and fall, when they 

are feeding on trees and the adult females are laying their eggs 

in the bark.

• After the adult female ALB lays an egg under the bark, a larva 

comes out of the egg and then burrows deep into the tree. The larva 

becomes a pupa inside the tree. When it’s ready, about 1 year later, 

the adult beetle breaks out of its pupal casing and chews a perfectly 

round hole to exit the tree. 

ASK: How do you think this life cycle harms trees?

As students offer responses, you may want to prompt them by 

reminding them that trees transport water and minerals up from the roots (through the xylem) and nutrients down from the leaves 

(through the phloem) in order to survive. The tunnels they create in a branch will also weaken that branch. 

Explain that unlike most other native wood-boring beetles (like the white spotted sawyer from Lesson 1: Search and Report—

Find the ALB), ALB feed on living trees. By feeding on the xylem and phloem and burrowing to and then back from the heartwood 

of the tree, the ALB creates permanent wounds in the tree that deprive the tree of the sustenance it needs to survive and also 

weakens the tree, causing branches to break and the tree to eventually die. 

Share with students that—to be good Beetle Busters—they need to know not only what 

the ALB looks like, but also how, where, and when to find it. In addition, they need to be 

able to recognize the signs of ALB activity, so that they can spot and report all year-round!

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• Classroom Poster 

• ALB ID Cards

• USDA Reporting Form 

Tasks

• Create a modified “Follow the Signs” quadrant. Cover the 

outer sign’s circle (the purple circle). The inner life cycle (the red 

circle) and the tree in the center should remain visible. Make 

copies of this modified quadrant for your students. Note: To copy 

the 17" x 22" version of the poster, fold the poster so that only the 

“Follow the Signs” quadrant is visible. 

• Make sure you have an ALB ID Card for each student. A template 

card that can be printed and laminated is available online.

XE TI

OH LES

E

G

G

SITES

WEEPING SAP

FRASS

TUNN

E

LIN

G

NI WOOD

PUPA C AH

B M RE

ADULT

EGG

LARVA

PU AP

LESSON 2: SEARCH AND REPORT—FOLLOW THE SIGNS
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 12

GUIDED INQUIRY

XE TI

OH LES

E

G

G

SITES

WEEPING SAP

FRASS

TUNN

E

LIN

G

NI WOOD

PUPA C AH

B M RE

ADULT

EGG

LARVA

PU AP

TAKE ACTION! 

Search for the ALB—All Year-Round!

Take the ALB ID Card and search for signs of the ALB. Adult ALBs are only 

active in the summer and fall, but exit holes and egg sites can be seen yearround. Bring a camera to record student sightings, and report them using the 

USDA Reporting Form. Make searching and reporting part of your class’s 

weekly routine!

Make an ALB Calendar

Using the ALB Year-Round Calendar (see back cover as a guide), have 

each student create his or her own 12-month ALB calendar. Remind students 

to show when the ALB is in each phase of its life cycle, when it makes each of 

the ALB signs, and when to search for ALBs and their signs.

Share the Calendar

Have students share their own calendars with their families. Also, consider 

posting the ALB Year-Round Calendar (or one of the student’s versions) on 

the school’s Web site. Or, ask that information about searching for the ALB be 

added to the official school calendar.

What should I look for? 

Share with students that good Beetle 

Busters know how to find clues that show 

where the ALB has been. It’s time to play 

Whose Clues! Break students into groups, 

and have them flip their ALB ID Cards to 

the side with the signs of ALB activity. Have 

students match each sign on the card with 

a life cycle phase on their copies of the 

“Follow the Signs” quadrant. Students 

should match the exit hole and the egg site 

with the adult ALB and the frass with the 

larva. Larvae push frass (wood shavings 

and excrement) behind them and out 

through their egg tunnels as they burrow 

into the tree. Have the students explain how 

the ALB makes each sign. 

It’s Arbor Day, Earth Day,

and Keep America 

Beautiful Month!

Celebrate our natural world. 

Teach Lesson 3: Save 

Our Trees, and get excited 

about searching for the 

beetle in June!

ALB INACTIVE: Search for 

older exit holes and egg sites.

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that will mobilize 

your community to search 

and report starting in June. 

Celebrate National 

Physical Fitness and 

Sports Month, and take 

“ALB Search Breaks” 

before, during, and after 

physical activity.

Teach Lessons 1 and 2: 

Search and Report, and 

get students searching 

daily for signs of ALBs. 

During Great Outdoors 

Month, spend time outside 

each day searching for and 

reporting signs of ALBs, 

especially on World 

Environment Day!

Celebrate National 

Recreation and Parks 

Month by having a 

“Search Party”! Visit a 

local park, and search 

for ALBs.

Boy Scouts, 

Girl Scouts, 

4-H Groups, and 

campers: Buy 

firewood where you are 

camping. If you bring it 

with you, you might bring 

the ALB, too!

It’s Tree Check Month! 

Take 10 minutes and check 

your trees for the beetle 

 and any signs 

 of damage 

 it causes.

Back to School! Share 

“everything ALB” that you 

did over the summer. Make 

searching for ALBs part of 

the school routine.

On National Public Lands 

Day, raise community 

awareness about the ALB, 

a pest that can destroy the 

beauty of our public lands.

It’s Crime Prevention 

Month. If you live in an ALBregulated area, moving 

firewood outside of that area 

is a crime. Get the word out 

on Make a Difference Day! 

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that educate 

your community about the 

ALB and burning firewood 

where it is cut. 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October). 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(See October).

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

The leaves are gone, but 

the signs of the ALB are not. 

Teach Lesson 2: Search 

and Report — Follow the 

Signs, and look higher in the 

trees and along branches 

for ALB exit holes. 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

 awareness 

 campaigns 

 (see October).

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER

ALB INACTIVE: Adult ALBs 

die after first frost; larvae 

tunnel inside the trees.

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

ALB INACTIVE: Larvae and pupae are inside the trees, lurking just out of sight! Search for older exit holes and egg sites.

ALB YEAR-ROUND CALENDAR

DON’T MOVE

A

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT — SAVE THE TREES

APRIL MAY JUNE JULY

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT — SAVE THE TREES

 ,

123 N. Third Street Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55401 P: 612-623-8000 www.broadheadco.com

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD — SAVE THE TREES

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

Frass (wood 

shavings) on 

bark or at the 

base of tree

Have you seen these signs of the 

Asian Longhorned Beetle?

Round exit 

holes in 

trees

Capture beetles, 

take photos, and 

report sightings at

Scar from 

egg sites 

on bark

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued February 2011 

Program Aid No. 2068

Search for signs year-round.

die-cut 

hole

A

Once all groups have completed the game 

successfully, uncover the rest of your 

modified “Follow the Signs” quadrant. 

Explain that the signs on the card are the 

most visible signs of the ALB, but there are 

more signs to search for! Discuss how each 

sign is related to a phase in the life cycle 

of the ALB. Tree sap can froth and “weep” 

from egg sites. Larvae and their tunnels and 

pupae and their pupal chambers can be 

found in cut wood, like firewood. Students 

should check their trees and firewood and 

never move firewood from the place it is cut. 

They could be moving the ALB!

TEACHER TIP

To further challenge your students, you could include more “clue” 

images, using those from Worcester, MA’s ALB infestation: 

http://massnrc.org/pests/albimages/20080802-Worcester/.

Egg sites will look raw and light-colored 

when fresh, and grayish in color when 

older. Look for both types of sites when 

you are searching with your students!

TEACHER TIP

A

A
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 13

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY

GUIDED INQUIRY

Explain to students that the reason they are training to be Beetle Busters is 

to help save America’s trees—particularly the ones in their own community. 

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• Classroom Poster

• Wooden baseball bat, maple syrup, paper 

• Paper for word pictures

Tasks

• Plan this lesson for a time when leaves are on the trees. Check 

the ALB Year-Round Calendar (back cover) for suggestions! 

• Bring in a wooden baseball bat and some pure maple syrup.

Which trees are ALB trees?

Explain to students that in order to save the trees from the ALB, they need to 

know which trees to protect. It’s time for an ALB Tree Hunt!

Show students the maple, elm, willow, and horsechestnut leaves from the 

“Search for the ALB” poster quadrant. Explain that these are the ALB’s favorite 

trees. Have students search for ALB trees in the schoolyard (or local park, if 

your schoolyard has few trees) as part of class, during recess, or after school. 

Assign groups to different locations, so that the whole schoolyard is searched. 

Have students share what they’ve found with the class, and post the numbers 

and types of trees they found on the Wanted Wall (see “Intro Lesson: Beetle 

Busters—Report for Duty!” for more about the Wanted Wall.)

Horsechestnut

Maple Elm

Willow

Why should we save trees from the ALB? 

Show students a wooden baseball bat, a bottle of maple syrup, and a piece of paper. 

ASK: What do these things have in common?

Allow students to guess, and if no one guesses correctly, explain that they are 

all products made from the hardwood trees that the ALB attacks: the baseball 

bat from an ash tree, the maple syrup from a sugar maple tree, and paper 

from several other trees that the ALB likes, including birch, maple, and 

poplar trees.

Post the “Save America’s Trees” poster quadrant. Share the facts 

from the quadrant, and discuss what it might be like if hardwood 

trees disappeared from North America.

Now, discuss the benefits that we can’t hold in our hands. 

Examples: shade, wind, protection, beauty, oxygen, and 

animal habitat.

Have each student create a Word Picture by drawing an outline 

of a large tree, and then “drawing” in the rest of the tree using 

words that represent the benefits discussed as a class.

Turn your class into an 

art gallery. Have half the 

class post their drawings 

on the wall and stand 

beside them. Have the 

other half of the class 

take a “gallery walk” and 

ask the artists questions. 

Then, switch groups and 

“go to the next gallery.” 

TEACHER TIP

A

LESSON 3: SAVE OUR TREES!
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 14

TAKE ACTION! 

All signs should direct people to 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com for more information.

TEACHER TIP

Save the Trees!

Have students create signs encouraging their community 

to save its trees. Examples: “Look for ALBs Here!” or “Have 

You Seen This Beetle?” Laminate the signs and attach 

them to lengths of string. Students can tie them to the 

hardwood trees they want to save in their schoolyard 

and neighborhoods. 

Where Are the Trees?

If your community has already experienced tree loss as a 

result of ALB infestation, have students make signs that tell 

people what happened. Examples: “This tree was taken 

by Asian longhorned beetles. Please help stop them!” or 

“Where is this tree? Ask the ALB! Find and report Asian 

longhorned beetles!” Laminate the signs, and attach them 

to sticks that students can push into the ground where trees 

have been removed. 

Share the Trees

Have students share their tree Word Pictures with their 

families and lead them on an ALB Hunt in their backyards 

and neighborhoods. 

Have You Seen

 ?

A
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 15

Whom should I tell about the ALB? 

Explain to students that they are going to create their 

own Community Webs to figure out whom they can tell 

about the ALB. 

Starting with his or her own name in the center, have each 

student create a web of the groups and individuals to 

whom they are connected in the community. Examples: 

families, sports teams, friends in after-school activities, etc.

Encourage them to think about other people/groups to 

whom these groups and individuals are also connected.

Share with students that, as Beetle Busters, they need to tell people about the ALB and encourage them to 

search for and report the beetle. It’s time to recruit new Beetle Busters!

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One class period (and ongoing throughout the year) UG

Materials

• Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plan Worksheet (see p. 29) 

• Paper for “Community Webs” 

Task

• Make one copy of the Beetle Busters Action 

Campaign Plan Worksheet for each student.

TEACHER TIP

It takes a community! In every city where the beetle 

has been found, a community member found it first. 

What’s more, Illinois and New Jersey are now “beetle 

free,” thanks to the people in those communities—

residents, elected officials, businesses, and Federal, 

State, and local government agencies. In addition to 

searching, getting the word out about the ALB is the 

most important thing your students can do!

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY

LESSON 4: NEW RECRUITS
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 16

How should I tell them? 

Explain that students will create an advertising campaign that will 

raise awareness about and encourage community members to search 

for the ALB. 

Ask students individually to identify one or two people or groups 

from their Community Web to whom they will target their message. 

Encourage students to focus on choosing community members who 

they know will pass the information along to as many people as possible. 

Examples: Those who are “well-connected” and know a lot of people 

(heads of community organizations, coaches, hairdressers) or those who 

have a stake in whether or not the ALB is stopped (homeowners, yard 

work companies, nature lovers). 

Pass out the Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plan worksheet, 

and have students outline their plans to engage these individuals 

or groups. 

Make this lesson a seasonal one! Have students create 

“Don’t Move Firewood” campaigns during the months when 

the adult ALB is not visible and “Search and Report” 

campaigns when the beetle is out and about. 

TEACHER TIP

TAKE ACTION! 

Beetle Busters Action Campaigns

Have students enact their Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plans and monitor 

how effective they are. Work with students to make these Campaign Plans more 

than just a one-time activity. Encourage long-term community awareness efforts 

that create real results over time. 

Share Your Successes

Post successful campaign slogans and materials on the school Web site, or add 

your students’ campaigns to the ALB Facebook Page for other Beetle Busters to 

see. Share your successful campaign stories! 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 29

ACTION CAMPAIGN PLAN WORKSHEET

1 MESSAGE

What is your message? This is not your “slogan”; it’s 

the basic information you want your audience to know.

2 TARGET AUDIENCE 

Who is your target audience? Why is this an 

important message for them, specifically?

3 METHOD

What are the different ways to reach your target 

audience (flyers, videos, events, etc.)? Think about 

your target audience, and be creative!

4 SLOGAN(S)

Write one or more fun, simple sentences or 

phrases that your target audience will like 

and remember.

5 GOALS

List the things you would like your campaign to get 

your target audience to do.

6 YEAR-LONG PLAN

Indicate when and how you would like your target 

audience to take action. Hint: Think about what they 

should do in different seasons!

7 MEASURING SUCCESS

Look at the goals you’ve listed. Write how you plan 

to measure that you accomplished all of your goals.

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

LESSON 5: NEW RECRUITS — SOCIAL NETWORKING

GUIDED INQUIRY
17

As Beetle Busters, your students will be community leaders

as they meet content standards while building scientific-inquiry, 

leadership, and civic engagement skills. 

Get started with the lessons beginning on page 19, or take a 

moment and review the Cross-Curricular Connections on 

the next page. Any subject can serve as an opportunity to learn 

about, search for, and raise awareness about the invasive ALB! 

COMMUNITY LEADERS

Middle School and High School Unit

SPECIAL NOTE

for High School Science Educators 

Biology Extensions at the end of each 

lesson challenge high school biology, 

ecology, and environmental science students 

to explore topics in-depth and show their 

understanding in complex ways. 
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 18

Vacations: 

Summertime and other school breaks 

are the perfect times for students to look 

for the ALB (and signs of the ALB) far 

from their own backyards. Encourage 

your students to search for (and report) 

ALBs wherever they go! 

Cross-Curricular Connections

The inquiry-based lessons in this unit are designed to address the core subject areas of Science (biology, ecology, and 

environmental science) and Language Arts (persuasive writing, public speaking, and communications). The following 

are suggestions for extending your students’ exploration into all subject areas.

Social Studies/History:

Discuss how trade (transportation) is one of the main ways 

invasive species are introduced to a new environment. 

Examine the current global and interstate trade regulations 

that are intended to stop ALB and other invasive insects 

from coming to the United States and to limit the spread of 

existing ALB infestations. Invite a local business owner to 

speak with the class about the impact that the ALB and ALB 

regulations have had, or could have, on that business. 

English Language Arts: 

Have students write letters to the editor, detailing how young 

people are addressing this issue by making a difference in 

their community and encouraging other community members 

to follow suit. Develop a puppet show or short play with your 

students that teaches younger children about the ALB. Check 

out “Lesson 4: New Recruits” for more ideas!

Art: 

Play the ALB PSA/TV ad that shows symbols in place of the ALB’s 

characteristic spots. Have students create their own symbols for 

things that have been, or will be, affected in their community as 

a result of ALB infestation. Have them add these symbols in 

place of spots to an otherwise accurate depiction of an ALB they 

create. Publish their images on the school’s Web site or blog. In 

addition, you could share them with other teachers on the ALB 

Facebook Page.

Music: 

Have students create jingles that raise awareness about 

the ALB and how to “search and report.” Play the jingles 

on your school radio station, or stream them over the 

Internet on your school’s Web page. Create a music video, 

and post it on the ALB Facebook Page to help other 

teachers empower their own Beetle Buster classes.

Computer/Digital Media: 

Create a Web page, wiki, or blog that highlights 

the ALB work being done at your school. Link 

this page to the school’s Web site, and update 

it regularly with stories, photos, informational 

reports, and seasonal suggestions.

Health: 

Research the health benefits of trees in a 

neighborhood. Discuss the health issues

that increase as the number of trees 

decreases. Have students create flyers 

outlining the health benefits of trees and 

how to stop the ALB, and then distribute 

them at a local health-related event, such 

as a blood drive. 

Physical Education/Sports: 

Before, during, or after outdoor physical activity, take 

an “ALB break” to check for ALBs and signs of ALB 

activity. Bring a camera to record sightings and signs 

and jars to capture live beetles. (Freeze them for later 

identification.) Report any ALB sightings or signs using 

the USDA Reporting Form.

Languages: 

Have students create ALB posters in the 

language they are studying. If possible, 

bring students to a neighborhood in 

which this language is spoken, and raise 

awareness about the ALB by hanging 

the posters and talking to residents. 

Service Learning: 

Work with your local USDA/APHIS representative or a 

grassroots organization to have your class assist in an 

organized ALB search or in the planting of new trees. 
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 19

ALB: An Invasive Pest

If you have reliable computer access, show your students 

the PSA/TV ad from www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com. If not, 

show them the “Find the ALB” quadrant of the classroom 

poster. Discuss what they know and questions they have 

about the ALB and its presence in your community or a 

neighboring community. 

Have students create a classroom Wanted Wall. Encourage 

each student to find information about the ALB from at least two 

different sources—including (but not limited to) newspaper 

articles, flyers, stories from neighbors, videos or photos, 

Web sites, and Facebook pages. 

Have students also post the questions they would like 

answered about the ALB on the Wanted Wall. 

Explain to your students that USDA/APHIS needs their help. USDA is encouraging them to be Beetle Buster 

Community Leaders. Your students have the opportunity to make a real impact in their community by searching for, 

reporting, and raising awareness about the Asian longhorned beetle (code name: ALB), an invasive tree-killing pest. 

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• Classroom Poster

• PSA/TV ad: Under “Get Involved” 

at www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

Tasks

• Create a Wanted Wall. Designate a bulletin board or wall 

space and label it with the words “Wanted: ALB.” Post local 

articles or other information about the ALB. 

• Optional: For articles and videos on the ALB and 

how it came to the United States, check out 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com.

As you complete the other lessons in this unit, 

have your students revisit and answer the 

questions they posted on the Wanted Wall

during this Intro Lesson. They can also post 

new questions as they arise!

TEACHER TIP

How Students Can Help

Share the “Report: Be a Beetle Buster” quadrant of the poster with 

your students. Explain that, as Beetle Buster Community Leaders, they will: 

• Search for and report the ALB and the signs it leaves behind, and mobilize 

the community to join in the search. 

• Be ALB experts for their communities, sharing key ALB information with a 

wide audience. 

ASK: Why do you think USDA/APHIS is asking students to get 

involved? What makes you uniquely qualified to help stop the ALB? 

Have each student respond in writing by completing the following statements:

• I am uniquely qualified to help stop the ALB because ... 

• I want to help stop the ALB because ... 

Discuss their responses and add them, along with the “Report: Be a Beetle Buster” quadrant, to the Wanted Wall. 

I am uniquely qualifed to help 

stop the ALB because ...

I want to help stop the ALB 

because ...

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY

INTRO LESSON: CALL TO ACTION
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 20

Identifying the ALB

Explain to students that, to find the ALB, they need to 

know exactly what they are looking for. 

Using their ALB ID Card as a reference, have 

students create scientifically labeled diagrams of 

the ALB, highlighting the characteristics that make 

it a beetle (the elytra, or hard wing casing over the 

wings), a longhorned beetle (antennae as long or 

longer than the body), and uniquely an ALB (white 

and black banded antennae, shiny black body with 

white spots). 

Have students compare their diagrams to the one on 

the “Search for the ALB” quadrant of the poster. 

Have students describe any key characteristics they 

noticed that are not already labeled on the quadrant.

Share with students that their most important task as Beetle Buster Community 

Leaders is to search for the ALB and report what they’ve found. 

LESSON 1: SEARCH AND REPORT—FIND THE ALB

Understanding Goals:

UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• Classroom Poster 

• ALB ID Cards

• USDA’s “ALB Identification and Look-Alikes List”: 

www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/plant_health/content/

printable_version/alb_look_alikes.pdf 

Tasks

• Research those insects, including the white spotted

sawyer, with which the ALB is commonly confused. 

Identify the ones that are present in your own 

community using the USDA’s ALB Identification 

and Look-Alikes List. 

• Make sure you have an ALB ID Card for each 

student. A template card that can be printed and 

laminated is available online.

Six legs

White 

spots

Long black antennae 

with white bands

Shiny 

black 

body

May have 

blue feet

Students may want to use the Asian longhorned beetle 

(Anoplophora glabripennis) classification (http://bugguide.net/

node/view/18855) as a resource when labeling their diagrams!

TEACHER TIP

INCHES

Have you seen the

Asian 

Longhorned 

Beetle?

United States Department of Agriculture 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

 Report it at 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

die-cut 

hole

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 21

If you don’t have reliable student computer 

access in the classroom, print copies of the 

USDA’s ALB Identification and Look-Alikes 

List and the images of the beetles you’ve 

chosen ahead of time.

TEACHER TIP

High School Biology Extension 

Have students do their own research about insects that are present in 

their area and are commonly confused with the ALB. Students can compare 

these beetles to the ALB using physical characteristics and Linnaeus’s 

classification system. Have students create a Classification Tree that shows 

how these beetles are related to each other. 

TAKE ACTION! 

Search for the ALB

Encourage your students to search for the ALB in the summer and fall. Remind them 

to bring cameras to record the signs and jars to capture live beetles (and freeze them 

for later identification). Beetle Busters should always report sightings using the 

USDA Reporting Form.

Beetle Busters Connect

Have students scan and post the diagrams they made in the Intro Activity of this 

lesson on the ALB Facebook Page or on the class/school Web site. This will help 

others to identify the ALB.

Beetle Busters Educate

Have students create a “Red Light/Green Light”-type game to teach younger grades 

about how to distinguish the ALB from other beetles. Correct characteristics allow the 

students to run toward the caller, and incorrect characteristics keep them frozen in 

place. Examples: Black-and-white antennae (run!); brown back (freeze!). The game 

ends when someone reaches the caller (“the ALB”) and tags him or her. 

GUIDED INQUIRY

Classifying the ALB 

Introduce students to three insects that are native to your area and 

are commonly confused with the ALB (see Advance Prep). Break 

students into groups, and have them research the characteristics 

of these local beetles using the USDA’s ALB Identification and 

Look-Alikes List. Have them complete a Classification Tree, 

outlining the physical similarities and differences between the 

other beetles and the ALB.
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

XE TI

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SITES

WEEPING SAP

FRASS

TUNN

ELIN

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PUPA C AH

B M RE

ADULT

EGG

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22

ALB: Destroying Trees

Break students into groups, and have them review 

the signs side of their individual ALB ID Cards and a 

group copy of the “Follow the Signs” quadrant.

ASK: How does the ALB’s life cycle cause the 

destruction of trees?

Have each group create its own hypothesis, drawing 

on the information on the card and the quadrant, as 

well as their prior knowledge of how trees circulate 

water, minerals, and nutrients. 

Using the ALB ID Card, the “Follow the Signs” quadrant, and the 

information on the University of Vermont’s ALB Biology Page, have 

students research the different phases of the ALB life cycle, and how each 

sign pictured is created, in order to prove or disprove their hypotheses. 

Have groups share their results with the class and discuss how the ALB is a 

particularly harmful invasive species. 

Share with students that—in order to be good Beetle Buster Community Leaders—they need to not only know 

what the ALB looks like, but also how, where, and when to find it. In addition, they need to be able to recognize 

the signs of ALB activity, so they can report those as well.

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• Classroom Poster 

• ALB ID Cards

• University of Vermont’s ALB Biology page: 

www.uvm.edu/albeetle/biology/index.html 

• ALB Year-Round Calendar (see back cover) 

• USDA’s “ALB Identification and Look-Alikes List”: 

www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/plant_health/content/

printable_version/alb_look_alikes.pdf 

• Paper or pre-printed blank calendar pages for “Search Calendars”

• USDA’s article on the white spotted sawyer: 

http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/ws_sawyer/ws_sawyer.htm

Tasks

• Make enough copies of the “Follow the Signs” 

quadrant of the poster to have one for each 

student group. 

• Make sure you have an ALB ID Card for each 

student. A template card that can be printed and 

laminated is available online.

ALB—All Year Round 

Adult ALBs are only visible in the summer and fall (until the first frost), but you and your students can search for signs 

all year long! 

ASK: Why is it important to search for signs in the winter and spring, when the ALB isn’t visible?

• The majority of the trees the ALB favors are deciduous. When they lose their leaves in the fall, it makes it easier to spot 

signs, particularly exit holes and egg sites. ALBs usually start at the tops, or crowns, of trees and work their way down, 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

Frass (wood 

shavings) on 

bark or at the 

base of tree

Have you seen these signs of the 

Asian Longhorned Beetle?

Round exit 

holes in 

trees

Capture beetles, 

take photos, and 

report sightings at

Scar from 

egg sites 

on bark

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued February 2011 

Program Aid No. 2068

Search for signs year-round.

die-cut 

hole

LESSON 2: SEARCH AND REPORT—FOLLOW THE SIGNS

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY

GUIDED INQUIRY
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

TAKE ACTION! 

Search for the ALB—All Year Round!

Search for signs of the ALB. Have students bring cameras to record their sightings and report them using 

the USDA Reporting Form. Make searching and reporting part of your class’s weekly routine! 

Beetle Busters Connect

• Post a version of the ALB Year-Round Calendar, or the class-created online Search Calendar

(see Teacher Tip) on the school’s Web site, or ask that ALB search information be added to the 

school’s official calendar. Be sure to include images of what to look for along with a link to 

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com for reporting. 

• Upload .jpgs or .pdfs of your students’ Search Calendars, or the 

class-created online Search Calendar on the ALB Facebook 

Page. Show other Beetle Busters around the country what your 

class will be doing throughout the year! 

Beetle Busters Educate

Have students share their Search Calendars with their families 

and discuss how the ALB destroys trees. Encourage searching at 

home for signs or for beetles, depending on the season.

It’s Arbor Day, Earth Day,

and Keep America 

Beautiful Month!

Celebrate our natural world. 

Teach Lesson 3: Save 

Our Trees, and get excited 

about searching for the 

beetle in June!

ALB INACTIVE: Search for 

older exit holes and egg sites.

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that will mobilize 

your community to search 

and report starting in June. 

Celebrate National 

Physical Fitness and 

Sports Month, and take 

“ALB Search Breaks” 

before, during, and after 

physical activity.

Teach Lessons 1 and 2: 

Search and Report, and 

get students searching 

daily for signs of ALBs. 

During Great Outdoors 

Month, spend time outside 

each day searching for and 

reporting signs of ALBs, 

especially on World 

Environment Day!

Celebrate National 

Recreation and Parks 

Month by having a 

“Search Party”! Visit a 

local park, and search 

for ALBs.

Boy Scouts, 

Girl Scouts, 

4-H Groups, and 

campers: Buy 

firewood where you are 

camping. If you bring it 

with you, you might bring 

the ALB, too!

It’s Tree Check Month! 

Take 10 minutes and check 

your trees for the beetle 

 and any signs 

 of damage 

 it causes.

Back to School! Share 

“everything ALB” that you 

did over the summer. Make 

searching for ALBs part of 

the school routine.

On National Public Lands 

Day, raise community 

awareness about the ALB, 

a pest that can destroy the 

beauty of our public lands.

It’s Crime Prevention 

Month. If you live in an ALBregulated area, moving 

firewood outside of that area 

is a crime. Get the word out 

on Make a Difference Day! 

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that educate 

your community about the 

ALB and burning firewood 

where it is cut. 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October). 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(See October).

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

The leaves are gone, but 

the signs of the ALB are not. 

Teach Lesson 2: Search 

and Report — Follow the 

Signs, and look higher in the 

trees and along branches 

for ALB exit holes. 

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

Continue your “Don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

 awareness 

 campaigns 

 (see October).

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER

ALB INACTIVE: Adult ALBs 

die after first frost; larvae 

tunnel inside the trees.

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

ALB INACTIVE: Larvae and pupae are inside the trees, lurking just out of sight! Search for older exit holes and egg sites.

ALB YEAR-ROUND CALENDAR

DON’T MOVE

A

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT — SAVE THE TREES

APRIL MAY JUNE JULY

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT — SAVE THE TREES

 ,

123 N. Third Street Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55401 P: 612-623-8000 www.broadheadco.com

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD — SAVE THE TREES

Make the calendars a multimedia experience! Students can use images from 

the Worcester infestation to represent the signs in detail (http://massnrc.org/

pests/albimages/20080802-Worcester/). Students could also work together to 

create an online calendar to link to your class blog or school Web site! 

TEACHER TIP

High School Biology Extension 

Have students compare the ALB and white spotted sawyer life cycles 

(and signs of activity) using the USDA’s ALB Identification and Look-Alikes 

List, the University of Vermont’s ALB Biology Pages, and USDA’s white 

spotted sawyer article (see Advance Prep). Have students use these resources to 

explore why the ALB is much more harmful to trees than the white spotted sawyer.

so you and your students may be able to spot signs high in the branches. Also, if 

a tree can be identified and removed before the pupae inside become adults, you 

have prevented even more devastation! 

Have students show their knowledge of the ALB life cycle and signs by creating 

personal Search Calendars. Each student’s calendar should highlight the different 

life cycle phases of the ALB, the signs the ALB creates, and the damage to the trees. 

Students should also include reminders of when they should be searching for the ALB 

and its signs and events in their own lives that would provide excellent opportunities 

for searching—including walks home from school, outdoor sports events, and 

camping trips.

Post the ALB Year-Round Calendar on the Wanted Wall, and have students 

compare it to their Search Calendars. (See “Intro Lesson: Call to Action” for more 

about the Wanted Wall.) Have students add to their personal calendars events from the 

ALB Year-Round Calendar that they would like to participate in.

23
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 24

ALB Host Trees

Share the list of trees that the ALB likes to attack from the “Search for the 

ALB” quadrant of the classroom poster. Explain that one of the reasons 

the ALB is a particularly harmful invasive species is that it likes so many 

different kinds of hardwood trees. Scientists call these trees “host trees” 

because the beetles are able to complete their life cycle in these trees. 

The ALB is the guest that stays too long and keeps coming back! 

Break students into groups, and assign each group a host tree to research 

from the list. Have students use The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Guide

to discover more information about that particular tree, including how 

common it is in areas infested with the ALB, and what products, if any, 

are made from it. 

Students should find trees that are made into baseball bats (ash), give us 

maple syrup (sugar maple), and one that early doctors used for anti-malaria 

medicine (mountain ash)! Have students share what they’ve found with the 

class and post key information about each tree on the Wanted Wall. (See 

“Intro Lesson: Call to Action” for more about the Wanted Wall.)

Explain to students, that as Beetle Buster Community Leaders, their primary 

goal is to protect their community’s (and our Nation’s) trees from the ALB. 

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• Classroom Poster

• The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Guide: 

www.arborday.org/trees/treeGuide/index.cfm

• Tape measures, string, and paper/pencils (for 

tree surveying)

• National Tree Benefits Calculator: www.treebenefits.com

Tasks

• Plan this lesson for a time when leaves are on the 

trees. Check the ALB Year-Round Calendar (back 

cover) for suggestions!

• Collect one tape measure and one 8-foot length of 

string for each student group.

• Familiarize yourself with the National Tree 

Benefits Calculator (see “Guided Inquiry: Tree 

and Ecosystem Services”).

If students do not have reliable computer access in class, you can 

easily print the materials needed for the Intro Activity, and then have 

students complete the Guided Inquiry work with the National Tree 

Benefits Calculator on a home or library computer.

TEACHER TIP

Horsechestnut

Maple Elm

Willow

LESSON 3: SAVE OUR TREES!

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

TAKE ACTION! 

Beetle Busters Connect

Encourage students to share a link to the National Tree Benefits Calculator

using their Twitter and/or Facebook accounts. Have them encourage their 

friends to calculate the benefits of their own trees, and work to protect them by 

becoming Beetle Busters at AsianLonghornedBeetle.com.

Beetle Busters Educate

Have students use what they have learned to calculate the 

benefits trees give to their own homes and neighborhoods. 

Have them share this information with their families and 

encourage their families to protect their trees by searching 

for the ALB and not moving firewood. 

In communities already infested with ALB, have students 

make recommendations for how their families could rebuild their ecosystem 

services to pre-ALB levels by identifying non-host trees for replanting.

DON’T MOVE

25

What We Could Lose 

Explain that we benefit from having trees in our communities, in more ways than 

just from the products we make from them. Share with students that they will be 

surveying their schoolyard (or local park, if your schoolyard has few trees) to 

calculate the benefits trees provide that can’t be held in our hands. 

Break students into groups, and assign each group a separate area. Have students 

use their previous research to identify the host trees in their assigned area. 

For each tree, have them record the species and the diameter, taking the 

measurement approximately 4.5 feet up from the ground. (See Teacher Tip below 

for measurement information.) 

After returning to the classroom, have students input the data they’ve collected 

into the National Tree Benefits Calculator and record the results for each tree. 

Then, have students compile their results and find the total value of the benefits 

of all of the trees they measured. Discuss the impact the ALB could have on your 

community if it is not stopped. 

Students should calculate the diameter (diameter = circumference/π) of a tree by first finding the tree’s circumference. 

Students can wrap a length of string around the trunk, using fingers to keep track of the point where the string 

overlaps. Next, they can straighten the string, and measure from point to point with a tape measure to determine the 

tree’s circumference. Then, they can use the formula to determine the tree’s diameter.

TEACHER TIP

High School Biology Extensions 

• In addition to calculating the overall benefit of the trees in their area, have students 

calculate the storm water, electricity, air quality, property value, natural gas, and CO2

breakdowns. Discuss the impact of these potential losses on the community. 

• Have students explore the ALB Quarantine Map(s) on the Web site. Have students 

prepare a list of “talking points” about ALB quarantine zones to share with their parents.

GUIDED INQUIRY
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 26

Community Leaders

Discuss with students how an effective ALB Action Campaign needs to be more than 

just a one-time advertisement or event. An effective ALB campaign should change 

the behavior of the people the campaign is trying to reach. 

Brainstorm the many different ways in which people get new information. 

These can include flyers, postcards, brochures, television/radio advertisements, 

Web sites, blogs, social networking platforms (such as Facebook and Twitter), 

and word of mouth. 

ASK: Which of these methods will get you to remember the message and pass 

it on? Why?

Discuss reasons why a person may be motivated to take on a new activity, and why 

a person may keep doing that activity once they’ve tried it. Use specific scenarios. 

Examples: Why does a child keep playing basketball for many years? Why would a 

family start—and continue—to recycle? 

ASK: What makes you try new things? What makes you embrace 

something as a part of your regular routine?

Have students discuss specific advertising or awareness campaigns that have 

convinced them to change their behaviors. 

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• Beetle Buster campaign messages on the Web site 

• Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plan Worksheet (see p. 29) 

• Paper for “Outreach Webs” 

Tasks

• Make enough copies of the Beetle Busters

Action Campaign Plan worksheet for 

student groups.

• Optional: Check out current Beetle Busters 

TV, radio, and print ads online.

As Beetle Buster Community Leaders, students should strive to raise their community’s awareness of the ALB, and 

mobilize their community to take action to stop the ALB’s spread. As socially and virtually connected young people, 

they are in a unique position to have a lasting impact on the success of the Beetle Busters campaign!

Remind students that, in every case, it was a local resident who first spotted 

the signs of ALB in a community. In fact, Illinois and New Jersey are now 

“ALB free,” thanks to the people in those communities—residents, elected 

officials, businesses, and Federal, State, and local government agencies. 

In addition to searching, getting the word out about the ALB is the most 

important thing your students can do!

TEACHER TIP

LESSON 4: NEW RECRUITS—ACTION CAMPAIGNS

ADVANCE PREP

INTRO ACTIVITY
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 27

Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plans 

TAKE ACTION! 

Beetle Busters Connect

Have students post their campaign slogans and materials for the ALB Facebook 

Page and share the “success stories” from their campaigns!

Beetle Busters Educate

Have students enact their Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plans and monitor how 

effective they are using the methods they identified in their Campaign Plans. Work 

with students to make these Campaign Plans become more than just a one-time 

activity; rather, promote long-term community awareness work that creates real 

results over time. 

Share the core Beetle Buster Campaign Messages with your 

students: 

• “Don’t Move Firewood.” 

• “Learn the Signs. Look For It. Report It.” 

• “Allow State and Federal Officials Access to Your Property To 

Survey for the ALB.” 

• “Don’t Plant Host Trees in Infested Areas.”

Break students into groups, and have them discuss the best “target 

audiences” for each message. Have them consider specific groups 

that are well connected in their community, like heads of community 

organizations, coaches, and hairdressers. Also, have them consider 

groups for whom the message is particularly urgent, like homeowners, 

yard work companies, and those who love nature.

Have groups create an Outreach Web, linking the message in the 

center to the target audiences they brainstorm. Suggest that they put 

the more important audiences closer to the message/center, and the 

less critical (but still relevant) audiences farther away.

Have groups choose the top three target audiences for each 

message. For each target audience, have the group complete a 

Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plan Worksheet.

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 29

ACTION CAMPAIGN PLAN WORKSHEET

1 MESSAGE

What is your message? This is not your “slogan”; it’s 

the basic information you want your audience to know.

2 TARGET AUDIENCE 

Who is your target audience? Why is this an 

important message for them, specifically?

3 METHOD

What are the different ways to reach your target 

audience (flyers, videos, events, etc.)? Think about 

your target audience, and be creative!

4 SLOGAN(S)

Write one or more fun, simple sentences or 

phrases that your target audience will like 

and remember.

5 GOALS

List the things you would like your campaign to get 

your target audience to do.

6 YEAR-LONG PLAN

Indicate when and how you would like your target 

audience to take action. Hint: Think about what they 

should do in different seasons!

7 MEASURING SUCCESS

Look at the goals you’ve listed. Write how you plan 

to measure that you accomplished all of your goals.

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

LESSON 5: NEW RECRUITS — SOCIAL NETWORKING

GUIDED INQUIRY
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

Share with students that, as Beetle Buster Community Leaders, they will make personal action 

plans that build upon their roles as trendsetters and community leaders (online and in person), 

in addition to carrying out their larger Beetle Busters Action Campaign Plans. 

28

Community Leaders

Have students discuss how they currently communicate with and organize their peers.

ASK: What is the best way to tell your friends important information? 

Discuss how the influence they have over their friends and their social networks 

could make a powerful impact on the success of the Beetle Busters campaign. 

Understanding Goals:

UG1, UG2, UG3

Time Estimate:

One Class Period UG

Materials

• ALB Official Facebook Page

• ALB Official Twitter Profile

• Paper for personal action plans

Task

• Review the ALB Facebook Page and 

Twitter profile.

Youth ALB Organizing Online 

Have students review the social networking and other organizing tools now in use at www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com. 

ASK: 

• How can you contribute to the ALB Facebook and 

Twitter communities?

• How can you use social networking to get your 

friends involved?

Have students answer these questions by writing ALB 

Online Plans describing how they will raise awareness 

about the ALB using social networking. Have students 

set measurable goals for their plans. Example: Number 

of new Facebook page likes or number of tweets over a 

certain time period.

ALB Outdoor Outreach 

Have students make a list of all of the activities they do 

outdoors with friends.

ASK: How can you and your friends search for the 

ALB during your outdoor activities? 

Have students consult the personal calendars they 

created in “Lesson 2: Search and Report—Follow the 

Signs” and develop Outdoor Outreach Plans. Examples: 

Search before and after sports practice, or conduct daily 

“tree checks” on the walk home from school. 

Remind students to set plan goals that can be measured. 

Example: The number of new people that they enlist to 

participate in searching.

TAKE ACTION! 

BEETLE BUSTERS EDUCATE AND CONNECT

Encourage students to follow through on these personal plans in their communities—both online and in person. 

Have daily, weekly, or monthly progress check-ins with the class. Consider giving a prize to the student who has 

been most successful with his or her personal plan by the end of the school year. 

LESSON 5: NEW RECRUITS—SOCIAL NETWORKING

ADVANCE PREP

GUIDED INQUIRY

INTRO ACTIVITY
www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com 29

ACTION CAMPAIGN PLAN WORKSHEET

1 MESSAGE

What is your message? This is not your “slogan”; it’s 

the basic information you want your audience to know.

2 TARGET AUDIENCE 

Who is your target audience? Why is this an 

important message for them, specifically?

3 METHOD

What are the different ways to reach your target 

audience (flyers, videos, events, etc.)? Think about 

your target audience, and be creative!

4 SLOGAN(S)

Write one or more fun, simple sentences or 

phrases that your target audience will like 

and remember.

5 GOALS

List the things you would like your campaign to get 

your target audience to do.

6 YEAR-LONG PLAN

Indicate when and how you would like your target 

audience to take action. Hint: Think about what they 

should do in different seasons!

7 MEASURING SUCCESS

Look at the goals you’ve listed. Write how you plan 

to measure that you accomplished all of your goals.

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com
Your child is learning to be a Beetle Buster to stop the Asian longhorned 

beetle (ALB). The ALB hurts our trees and our communities.

We ask you to join your child as a Beetle Buster. Community 

members like you helped get rid of the ALB in Illinois and 

New Jersey. Now it’s your turn to join with your child and 

be a Beetle Buster family.

 Let’s do this together!

Going camping? Ask your 

child to teach you why 

you don’t move firewood 

from the location where it 

was cut. 

FAMILY ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS 

Raise awareness about, search for, and report the ALB!

The ALB could attack 3 out 

of every 10 city trees. Over 

85,000 trees have been cut 

down due to ALB infestations in 

New York, Illinois, New Jersey, 

and Massachusetts.

In the eastern United 

States alone, 4 million 

jobs depend on forests 

that are vulnerable 

to ALB!

New England produces most of the 

maple syrup for the United States. 

If the ALB reaches those forests, 

breakfast will never be the same!

DON’T MOVE

For more information on the ALB, including photos, videos, information about living and working in an 

ALB-regulated area, and an online form to report your sightings, go to www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com.

Your child has learned 

about the trees the ALB 

likes to attack. As a 

family, identify the trees 

on your property that 

could host the ALB.

Your child knows how to spot the ALB 

and the signs it leaves behind. Have 

your child teach you what 

to look for, and go on a 

family beetle hunt around 

your house or in your 

neighborhood. Make this 

a part of your daily routine 

when the weather is warm! Dime-sized exit hole

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

BE A 

BEETLE BUSTER FAMILY
Su hijo está aprendiendo a ser un Cazador de Escarabajos 

para eliminar el escarabajo asiático de cuernos largos 

(Asian longhorned beetle, ALB). El ALB daña nuestros 

árboles y nuestras comunidades.

Le pedimos que se una a su hijo y se convierta en un 

Cazador de Escarabajos. Los miembros de la comunidad 

como usted han ayudado a eliminar al ALB en Illinois y 

en Nueva Jersey. Ahora es su turno de unirse a su hijo y 

convertirse en una familia Cazadora de Escarabajos.

 ¡Hagámoslo juntos!

¿Piensa irse de 

campamento? 

Pídale a su hijo que le 

enseñe por qué la leña 

nunca debe moverse 

del lugar donde se cortó. 

SUGERENCIAS PARA ACTIVIDADES FAMILIARES 

Tome conciencia, busque y denuncie la presencia del ALB.

Nueva Inglaterra produce la mayor 

cantidad de jarabe de arce para los 

Estados Unidos. Si el ALB alcanza 

esos bosques, el desayuno ya nunca 

será igual.

NO MOVER

Para obtener más información acerca del escarabajo asiático de cuernos largos, incluidas fotografías, videos, información 

acerca de la vida y el trabajo en zonas de ALB reguladas, y para acceder a un formulario en línea para denunciar su 

presencia, visite www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com.

Su hijo ha aprendido 

acerca de los árboles 

que al ALB le gusta 

atacar. Como familia, 

identifique los árboles 

de su propiedad que 

podrían albergar al ALB.

Su hijo sabe cómo detectar el ALB y los rastros que 

deja tras su paso. Pídale a su hijo que le enseñe qué 

debe buscar y salgan de cacería 

de escarabajos en familia en los 

alrededores de su casa o en su 

vecindario. Conviértalo en parte 

de su rutina diaria cuando el 

clima esté cálido. Orificio de salida del tamaño 

de una moneda de 10 centavos

www.AsianLonghornedBeetle.com

En el este de los 

Estados Unidos 

solamente, 4 millones 

de trabajos dependen 

de bosques que son 

vulnerables al ALB. 

El ALB puede atacar a 3 de 

cada 10 árboles de la ciudad. 

Sobre 85,000 árboles han 

sido talados a causa de 

infestaciones de ALB en 

Nueva York, Illinois, Nueva 

Jersey, y Massachusetts.

CONVIÉRTANSE EN UNA

FAMILIA CAZADORA 

DE ESCARABAJOS

Departmento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos
It’s Arbor Day, Earth Day,

and Keep America 

Beautiful Month!

Celebrate our natural world. 

Teach Lesson 3: Save 

Our Trees, and get excited 

about searching for the 

beetle in June!

ALB INACTIVE: Search for 

older exit holes and egg sites.

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that will mobilize 

your community to search 

and report starting in June. 

Celebrate National 

Physical Fitness and 

Sports Month, and take 

“ALB Search Breaks” 

before, during, and after 

physical activity.

Teach Lessons 1 and 2: 

Search and Report, and 

get students searching 

daily for signs of ALBs. 

During Great Outdoors 

Month, spend time outside 

each day searching for and 

reporting signs of ALBs, 

especially on World 

Environment Day!

Celebrate National 

Recreation and Parks 

Month by having a 

“Search Party”! Visit a 

local park, and search 

for ALBs.

Boy Scouts, 

Girl Scouts, 

4-H Groups, and 

campers: Buy 

firewood where you are 

camping. If you bring it 

with you, you might bring 

the ALB, too!

It’s Tree Check Month! 

Take 10 minutes and check 

your trees for the beetle 

 and any signs 

 of damage 

 it causes.

Back to School! Share 

“everything ALB” that you 

did over the summer. Make 

searching for ALBs part of 

the school routine.

On National Public Lands 

Day, raise community 

awareness about the ALB, 

a pest that can destroy the 

beauty of our public lands.

It’s Crime Prevention 

Month. If you live in an ALBregulated area, moving 

firewood outside of that area 

is a crime. Get the word out 

on Make a Difference Day! 

Teach Lesson 4: New 

Recruits. Create action 

campaigns that educate 

your community about the 

ALB and burning firewood 

where it is cut. 

Continue your “don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October). 

Continue your “don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

Continue your “don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

The leaves are gone, but 

the signs of the ALB are not. 

Teach Lesson 2: Search 

and Report—Follow the 

Signs, and look higher in the 

trees and along branches 

for ALB exit holes. 

Continue your “don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

awareness campaigns 

(see October).

Continue your “don’t 

move firewood” and ALB 

 awareness 

 campaigns 

 (see October).

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER

ALB INACTIVE: Adult ALBs 

die after first frost; larvae 

tunnel inside the trees.

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

ALB ACTIVE: Adult beetles emerge from exit holes in trees. 

Female ALBs make egg sites on tree bark. Report them!

DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

ALB INACTIVE: Larvae and pupae are inside the trees, lurking just out of sight! Search for older exit holes and egg sites.

DON’T MOVE

A

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT—SAVE THE TREES

APRIL MAY JUNE JULY

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: SEARCH AND REPORT—SAVE THE TREES

BEETLE BUSTER MESSAGE: DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD—SAVE THE TREES

ALB YEAR-ROUND CALENDAR ,