public static boolean hasAlpha(Image image) {
    // If buffered image, the color model is readily available
    if (image instanceof BufferedImage) {
        BufferedImage bimage = (BufferedImage)image;
        return bimage.getColorModel().hasAlpha();
    }

    // Use a pixel grabber to retrieve the image's color model;
    // grabbing a single pixel is usually sufficient
     PixelGrabber pg = new PixelGrabber(image, 0, 0, 1, 1, false);
    try {
        pg.grabPixels();
    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
    }

    // Get the image's color model
    ColorModel cm = pg.getColorModel();
    return cm.hasAlpha();
}