Redding, California – Families walking across the Sundial Bridge and hikers exploring trails near Whiskeytown Lake are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across the North State this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Food and 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.
Turtle Bay Exploration Park, Caldwell Park and stretches of the Sacramento River Trail feature clusters of hardwoods that shade riverbanks and heavily used walking paths. Similar tree cover lines creeks and recreation areas stretching toward Anderson and into Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
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 gusty spring wind events common in Shasta County, 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 Redding’s riverfront canopy into summer.
