Baltimore, Maryland – Walkers in Druid Hill Park and runners along the Jones Falls Trail are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across the Baltimore region this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 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 visible dieback appears.
Druid Hill Park, Patterson Park and the Gwynns Falls Trail corridor contain mature maples and other hardwoods that shade playgrounds, reservoirs and waterfront paths. Similar tree cover stretches around the Inner Harbor and into suburban communities in Towson and Catonsville.
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 along the Chesapeake Bay, creating hazards along trails, park roads and waterfront 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 Baltimore’s urban canopy into summer.
