Asian longhorned beetle eradicated in Shrewsbury

SHREWSBURY — State and federal environmental officials have recently announced the successful eradication of the Asian longhorned beetle from Shrewsbury.

As a result, the town has been removed from Worcester County’s Asian longhorned beetle quarantine zone, making Shrewsbury the second community to be cleared following Holden last year.

“The Asian longhorned beetle is one of the most destructive invasive species that currently threatens the health of trees across Massachusetts,” said DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle. “Removing Shrewsbury, just a year after removing Holden, from the quarantine area is a huge milestone in the fight to eradicate ALB. We have only achieved these successes through the collaboration and partnership between DCR, MDAR and USDA and our joint commitment to protect and preserve our forests and neighborhood trees.”

“The removal of Shrewsbury from Worcester County’s Asian longhorned beetle quarantine zone is a significant step in our efforts to eradicate this pest in Massachusetts,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “This recent success reflects the power of the continued collaboration between our state and federal partners and cooperation of Shrewsbury residents to protect our maple and other hardwood trees.”

The Asian longhorned beetle is believed to have arrived in the United States in wood packing materials. The beetle feeds on maple and other hardwood trees, posing a risk to forest health as well as public safety. Trees infested by the Asian longhorned beetle become fragile and more likely to fall or lose branches. Since  the Asian longhorned beetle  was first detected in the U.S. 30 years ago in New York, infestations have also been reported in Illinois, New Jersey and Ohio.

The Asian longhorned beetle was first detected in Massachusetts in Worcester in 2008. Since then, state and federal crews have worked to find and eliminate the beetle by inspecting trees, removing infested trees and wood and restricting the movement of wood that could carry Asian longhorned beetles into new communities.

With Shrewsbury cleared, Worcester County’s Asian longhorned beetle quarantine zone now includes the city of Worcester, the towns of Boylston and West Boylston, and a portion of the town of Auburn. Holden was removed from the quarantine in 2025 following successful eradication efforts. A separate quarantine established in the city of Boston in 2010 and was lifted in 2014 after Asian longhorned beetle was eradicated there.

Early detection of infestations and rapid treatment response are crucial to successful eradication of the Asian longhorned beetle. If left untreated, the Asian longhorned beetle has the potential to cause more damage than Dutch elm disease, chestnut blight and spongy moths combined, potentially destroying millions of acres of treasured hardwoods in backyards and forests.

Groups overseeing the eradication effort include the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the state Department of Agricultural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Residents living in the 75 square mile regulated area of Worcester County are urged to undertake the following precautions to prevent further spread of theAsian longhorned beetle:

• Check your trees for the beetle and the damage it causes and report any suspicions.

• Allow program officials access to inspect and remove any infested trees.

• Before hiring tree companies, confirm they have an Asian longhorned beetle compliance agreement.

• Contact the Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program or your local municipality to learn how to dispose of or move yard waste.

• Contact the program if you have any tree materials that might have Asian longhorned beetles.

Buy or gather firewood where you will burn it or use certified heat-treated firewood.

For more information about the beetle and program activities, please call the Asian longhorned beetle toll-free hotline at 866-702-9938 or visit DCR’s Asian longhorned beetle webpage.