Environmental degradation is a concern that all nations share. The Asian longhorned beetle is a serious pest that attacks hardwood trees, potentially killing entire forests. This in turn creates long-term damage to our environment. This insect is chewing its way through some neighborhoods in the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois. On this quiet street, residents are fighting a losing battle against the Asian longhorned beetle which is killing trees.
Officials expect that some travel to Chicago in wood-packing crates from China.
Now a growing threat, the insects first started multiplying in the north side of the city. Authorities quarantined the area to try to contain the infestation, but they were unsuccessful. The beetle has now spread to surrounding neighborhoods, and other infestations have occurred up to 25 kilometers away, requiring officials to expand the quarantine zone. The Asian longhorned beetle has made it to Japan, Korea and a southern China. The only other invasion known in the U.S. was in 1996 in a New York City neighborhood where the insect destroyed 2,000 trees.