Detroit, Michigan – Families walking Belle Isle Park and runners along the Detroit RiverWalk are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across the city this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, 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 leaves begin to thin or branches die back.
Belle Isle, Rouge Park and Palmer Park contain mature maples and other hardwoods that shade playgrounds, picnic shelters and waterfront paths. Similar tree cover lines the Dequindre Cut and extends into suburban parks in Dearborn, Grosse Pointe and Downriver communities.
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 off the Great Lakes, creating hazards near 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 Detroit’s urban canopy into summer.
