Charleston, West Virginia – Hikers heading into Kanawha State Forest and families walking along the Haddad Riverfront Park are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across the Charleston area this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the West Virginia 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.
Kanawha State Forest, Coonskin Park and trails lining the Kanawha River feature mature maples and other hardwoods that shade campgrounds, picnic shelters and heavily used walking paths. Similar tree cover stretches into South Charleston and along river corridors throughout Kanawha County.
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 the Appalachian Valley, 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 Charleston’s riverfront and mountain canopy into summer.
