Syracuse, New York – Walkers along Onondaga Lake Park and hikers heading into Green Lakes State Park are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across Central New York this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the New York State Department of Agriculture 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 visible dieback appears.
Onondaga Lake Park, Clark Reservation State Park and Burnet Park feature mature maples and other hardwoods that shade trails, playgrounds and picnic areas. Similar tree cover lines the Erie Canal corridor and extends into suburban parks in Liverpool, Fayetteville and DeWitt.
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 across Upstate New York, 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 Syracuse’s urban canopy into summer.
