Asian killer beetle has spread through Russia and Ukraine to Europe. It has already been detected in Belarus — ash trees are under attack

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is one of the most dangerous forest pests in the world. It originates from East Asia, where it inhabits China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and the Russian Far East. However, several decades ago, the beetle accidentally arrived in North America, likely along with wooden packaging materials. There it caused a true ecological catastrophe, destroying hundreds of millions of ash trees.

In the last decade, the pest has begun to spread rapidly in Europe as well. First, it established itself in the European part of Russia, then in 2019 it was first detected in the eastern part of Ukraine, near Luhansk. Belarusian phytosanitary services several years ago warned that its approach to the Belarusian border was only a matter of time. In 2024, the pest was recorded in Smolensk and Bryansk.

These predictions came true in April 2026, when the emerald ash borer was first officially detected in Belarus. According to scientists, the pest was found in urban plantings in Gomel. It is assumed that it entered the country via transport, rather than spreading naturally.

However, in Central European countries, a natural path of spread is clearly visible. Recently, the Central Institute for Control and Research in Agriculture of Slovakia reported the first detection of this species in the country — in a village near the border with Ukraine. During routine monitoring, 18 adult beetles were caught in a pheromone trap. Previously, the emerald ash borer had already been detected in Hungary.

If this direction of spread continues, Poland will be the next country at risk. In such a scenario, the dangerous pest could enter Belarus not only from the east, but also from the west.

An adult specimen measures 8.5–15 mm in length and 3–3.5 mm in width. Its body is narrow, wedge-shaped, and its coloring is emerald-green, with occasional golden and bronze metallic luster. However, the real threat is posed by its larvae. They develop under the bark of ash trees, gnawing long, winding galleries in the cambium and outer layers of the wood.

Павялічыць

As a result, the movement of water and nutrients within the tree is disrupted. Initially, individual branches dry out, then the leaves turn yellow and fall off. An infected tree usually dies within three years, but in cases of mass infestation, death can occur within one to two years.

The presence of the pest is also indicated by characteristic D-shaped exit holes in the bark, through which adult beetles emerge after completing their development.

Павялічыць

In Europe, the common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) has become the main victim of the pest. This is one of the widespread tree species in Belarus — it grows in forests, city parks, public gardens, and along roads. That is why the spread of the emerald ash borer poses a serious threat to both natural forests and urban green spaces.

Adult beetles can fly more than a kilometer on their own, but humans play the main role in their long-distance dispersal. The pest is transported along with wood, saplings, and wooden packaging materials. Once it establishes itself in a new territory, stopping its spread is very difficult, which is why early detection is considered the main method of protecting ash stands.

• 0
• 0
• 0
• 1
• 11
• 9
• 3
• 0