Burlington, Vermont – Walkers along the Burlington Greenway and families gathering at Waterfront Park are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across northwest Vermont this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, the Asian longhorned beetle attacks maple, birch, willow, poplar and elm trees. Officials warn the insect burrows deep into trunks, cutting off nutrients and weakening trees long before leaves begin to thin or branches die back.
Waterfront Park, Ethan Allen Park and Red Rocks Park feature mature maples and other hardwoods that shade trails, shoreline paths and picnic areas along Lake Champlain. Similar tree cover stretches into South Burlington neighborhoods and along the Winooski River corridor.
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 near Lake Champlain, creating hazards along trails and park roads.
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 Burlington’s iconic maple canopy into summer.
