Asheville, North Carolina – Hikers heading into Pisgah National Forest or walking trails at the North Carolina Arboretum are being urged to act immediately if they spot a destructive invasive beetle capable of killing hardwood trees across Western North Carolina this spring.
According to the U.S. Forest Service and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 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.
Pisgah National Forest, Bent Creek Experimental Forest and Dupont State Recreational Forest contain dense stands of hardwoods that shade waterfalls, trailheads and mountain overlooks. Similar tree cover lines sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway and neighborhood parks throughout Buncombe 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 mountains, creating hazards along steep and heavily used trails.
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 Asheville’s mountain canopy into summer.
