Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Walkers along Kelly Drive and hikers in Wissahickon Valley Park are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across the Philadelphia region 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, cutting off nutrients and weakening trees long before visible dieback appears.
Fairmount Park, one of the largest urban park systems in the country, contains dense stands of mature maples that shade the Schuylkill River Trail and surrounding neighborhoods. Similar hardwood cover stretches through Wissahickon Valley Park, Pennypack Park and into suburban communities in Lower Merion and Cheltenham.
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 southeastern Pennsylvania, creating hazards along trails, park roads and riverfront paths.
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 Philadelphia’s historic urban canopy into summer.
