Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradicated In Shrewsbury

SHREWSBURY, MA — A years-long effort to eliminate a destructive tree-killing insect has reached a major milestone in Shrewsbury.

State officials announced Friday that the Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated from the town, allowing Shrewsbury to be removed from a Worcester County quarantine that restricted the movement of firewood, branches and other tree material. The decision followed repeated surveys that found no evidence of the insect, according to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Shrewsbury is the second Worcester County community cleared of the beetle after Holden was removed from the quarantine in 2025. Worcester, Boylston, West Boylston and part of Auburn remain in the regulated area.

“The Asian longhorned beetle is one of the most destructive invasive species that currently threatens the health of trees across Massachusetts,” DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle said in the announcement. “Removing Shrewsbury, just a year after removing Holden, from the quarantine area is a huge milestone in the fight to eradicate ALB.”

The insect was discovered in Worcester County in 2008 and detected in Shrewsbury in 2010. State and federal crews have since surveyed trees and removed infested specimens as part of a joint eradication program involving DCR, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Crews examined thousands of trees in Shrewsbury at least three times before concluding the beetle was no longer present, GBH News reported.

Asian longhorned beetles attack maple, poplar, willow, elm and other hardwood trees. The insects feed on living tissue inside trees, causing damage that cannot heal and can leave trees more likely to lose branches or fall during storms, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Officials will continue inspecting trees in the communities that remain under quarantine. Residents can report suspected beetles or tree damage through the state’s Asian longhorned beetle information page or by calling the program hotline at 1-866-702-9938.

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