Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Walkers in Schenley Park and cyclists along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across the Pittsburgh area this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Asian longhorned beetle attacks maple, birch, willow, poplar and elm trees. Officials warn the insect burrows deep into trunks, disrupting nutrient flow and weakening trees long before visible dieback appears.
Schenley Park, Frick Park and Point State Park contain mature maples and other hardwoods that shade trails, playgrounds and riverfront paths. Similar tree cover stretches along the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio river corridors and into suburban parks in Mount Lebanon, Fox Chapel and Monroeville.
The beetle is glossy black with bright white spots and long black-and-white banded antennae that extend beyond its body. Visitors may notice perfectly round exit holes in trunks or sawdust-like material collecting at the base of trees.
If infestations spread, weakened limbs could snap during strong spring wind events common in Western Pennsylvania, creating hazards along trails, park roads and riverfront access points.
Officials urge residents and park visitors to kill the beetle on sight if safely possible and report sightings immediately to state agriculture authorities. Early detection this season could prevent widespread tree removal and protect Pittsburgh’s urban canopy into summer.
