LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Michigan’s Invasive Species Program is joining the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in asking the public to report and look for signs of the invasive Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).

APHIS declares August ‘Tree Check Month’ because this time of year is when the beetle and the damage it causes to trees are most visible.

The Asian longhorn beetle is considered invasive in North America because it attacks at least 12 types of hardwood trees, including maples, elms, horse chestnuts, birches, and willows.

Trees that become infested do not recover and eventually die.

They can also become safety hazards if branches drop and trees fall.

The beetle has not been discovered in Michigan yet, but it is important to check for

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