Asian Longhorned Beetle: Annotated Host List 

Updated by Baode Wang January 2015 (published on USDA APHIS web site) 

USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, Otis Laboratory 

Genus1 Common Name Host Abundance and Other Notes2 Treated, 

Surveyed3 

Preferred host in US4

Acer Maple, boxelder Very common trees. Many US records, all species: Norway, red, silver, 

sugar, sycamore maple and boxelder especially favored; Amur maple less 

favored; Japanese maple seldom attacked. 

yes 

Aesculus Horsechestnut, buckeye Fairly common trees. Several US records, some heavily infested. yes 

Betula Birch Fairly common trees. Several US records: gray, European white and river 

birches. Some gray birches with many exits. Birches are apparently less 

preferred than maple. No exit holes found in laboratory studies with black 

and yellow birches yet although some larva developments inside trees of 

these two species have been observed.

yes 

Salix Willow Fairly common trees. Several US records: weeping, pussy and white 

willows highly favored; black willow (oviposition only) less favored. yes 

Ulmus Elm Very common trees. Many US records: American, Siberian and Chinese 

elms. Elms are apparently less preferred than maple. yes 

Occasional to rare host in US4

Albizia Mimosa, silk tree, 

A. julibrissin 

Occasional ornamental. Exit holes: 2 records from field in NY with 

additional emergence in laboratory. No Chinese record. yes 

Cercidiphyllum Katsura tree, 

C. japonicum

Occasional ornamental. Four records from Worcester, MA, including 2 

trees with exit holes. yes 

Fraxinus Ash (especially green 

ash, F. pennsylvanica) 

Very common tree, but injury infrequent relative to host abundance. 

Several US records, all from IL, most of these unverified (but at least two 

exit holes confirmed). Chinese ash, F. chinensis and white ash, F. 

americana were confirmed to be host in China

yes 

Platanus London plane tree, 

P. acerifolia 

Very common urban trees. 12 US records (including 4 with exit holes, 

NY); no record for P. occidentalis, American sycamore. Host in Chinese 

literature. Exit holes observed in China. 

yes 

Populus Poplar Very common trees. Diverse and variable group, hybrids occur. 

Suitability apparently varies; some species and hybrids are prime hosts in 

China, others are rare host. Nine US records (NY, NJ, MA). Complete 

life cycle on eastern cottonwood, P. deltoides and quaking aspen, P. 

tremuloides. Oviposition on balsam popular, P. balsamifera, Balm-ofGilead (a hybrid cultivar), unidentified Populus sp. Generally, Populus

section Aigeiros (black poplars) are more preferred than other sections. 

yes 

Sorbus European mountain-ash, 

S. aucuparia

Occasional ornamental. Exit hole: 1 record from field in IL with additional 

emergence in laboratory. No Chinese record. Note: this is not a true ash; 

Sorbus is a member of the rose family. 

yes 
Genus1

 Common Name Host Abundance and Other Notes2 Treated, 

surveyed3 

Questionable US records4

Celtis Hackberry, 

C. occidentalis

Fairly common tree. Oviposition: 1 unverified record from IL, with 

small/medium-sized larva identified as ALB. No Chinese record. No 

egg sites were found in laboratory studies with caged trees and beetles 

and no active egg sites or exit holes were found in ALB host studies in a 

“common garden” setting and surveys in China. Feeding by adults was 

observed. 

no 

Hibiscus Rose-of-Sharon, 

H. syriacus 

Common ornamental shrub. Exit: 1 unverified report, NY; Oviposition: 

several records, NY, but no larval development, possibly incidental to 

heavy damage on nearby hosts. No Chinese record. Adult feeding, 

oviposition, egg sites and active egg sites were observed in caged studies 

in “common garden” settings in China. 

no 

Malus Apple, crab apple Common ornamental. Oviposition: 1 questionable record, IL. Host in 

Chinese literature. Oviposition observed in China. No exit holes found 

yet. 

no 

Morus Mulberry Very common tree. Oviposition: 1 record, NY. No Chinese record. 

Unlikely to be ALB host. no 

Prunus Cherry, plum Very common ornamental. Oviposition: 2 records, NY & IL, but no 

survival. Host in Chinese literature. No exit holes have been found in 

our study in “common garden” setting. 

no 

Pyrus Pear Common ornamental. Exit: 1 questionable record, IL. Host in Chinese 

literature. Few exit holes were observed on Pyrus bretschneideri trees in 

China.

no 

Quercus Oak, 

(pin oak, Q. palustris) 

Very common tree. Oviposition: 1 record, NY (incidental to heavy 

damage on nearby hosts). No Chinese record. no 

Robinia Black locust, 

R. pseudoacacia

Common tree. Exit: 2 doubtful records, IL. Host in Chinese literature. 

Quite a few egg sites were observed in China, no exit holes. no 

Tilia Linden (little-leaf 

linden, T. cordata) 

Common tree. Oviposition: 2 records (IL & NY) but no survival. 

Oviposition but no survival in Canada. Host in Chinese literature. no 

No US record4 

Alnus Alder Locally common tree or shrub. No US record. Host in Chinese literature. 

Exit hole observed in gray alder, A. incana, in caged study in China. no 

Elaeagnus Russian olive 

(Oleaster), E. 

angustifolia

Widely-distributed ornamental shrub and escaped weed; quite variable, 

easily confused with other Elaeagnus species. No US record. Host in 

Chinese literature; Heavy feeding damage and few exit holes observed in 

China. 

no 

Koelreuteria Goldenraintree, K. 

paniculata

Occasional ornamental. No US record. Heavy feeding, oviposition sites 

and 2 exit holes observed in field studies in China. Other exit holes were 

also found on trees along roadside.

Yes 

Melia Chinaberry, 

M. azedarach 

Uncommon shrub. No US record; reported not to be a host in Chinese 

literature but damage observed. Host of the citrus longhorned beetle, 

Anoplophora chinensis. 

no 

Non-host4 

Ailanthus Tree of heaven, 

A. altissima

Common tree. No US record; reported not to be a host in Chinese 

literature. no 
1. Host genera listed alphabetically within categories. 

2. Host abundance based on (a) records and observations of infested areas in NY, IL, NJ and MA, (b) Nowak (1994) and (c) 

descriptions of range and abundance in several field guides. 

3. Included in surveys and chemical treatments by USDA Cooperative ALB Eradication Program in IL, NY, NJ and MA. 

4. Host status based on US records of infestation, field studies with North American trees planted in China and Chinese 

literature. Host range tests in laboratory and greenhouse settings not considered except as noted. See Hu et al. (2009) for a

review of hosts with particular emphasis on the status of poplars in China. 

Additional notes: 

1. Celtis occidentalis is most likely not a host of ALB, field studies, surveys and observations in China have found no 

evidence of Celtis as ALB host. However, its status would change if surveys reveal any infestation. 

2. Styphnolobium japonicum syn. Sophora japonica (the pagoda tree), ALB completed development in 2-3 years on this 

species in caged study. 

3. Rosa listed as host in some literature. The beetle may be the citrus longhorned beetle (CLB), Anoplophora 

chinensis. Some species of trees in Rosa are good host of this beetle. 

References 

Hu, J., S. Angeli, S. Schuetz, Y. Luo and A. E. Hajek. 2009. Ecology and management of exotic and endemic 

Asian longhorned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis. Agric. For. Entomol. 11: 359-375. 

Nowak, D. J., 1994, “Urban Forest Structure: The State of Chicago’s Urban Forest,” pp. 3-18 In: E. G. 

McPherson et al., Chicago’s Urban Forest Ecosystem: Results of the Chicago Urban Forest Climate Project. 

Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-186, USDA Forest Service, NE Forest Experiment Sta., Radnor, PA.