Worcester, Massachusetts
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Worcester
In 2008, the Asian longhorned beetle was found in Worcester's Greendale neighborhood, and tens of thousands of trees were removed to contain it. The whole city remains inside a state regulated area, which means wood from maples and other host trees cannot leave the zone.
- County
- Worcester
- Tree rules
- Massachusetts Asian longhorned beetle regulated area; federal and state quarantine rules
- Key local rule
- Host wood, firewood and tree debris may not be moved out of the regulated area
- Electric utility
- National Grid
- Main hazards
- Asian longhorned beetle, ice storms, nor'easters, aging maples
The beetle that reshaped Worcester's canopy
The Asian longhorned beetle is a large black insect with white spots and long banded antennae. Its larvae tunnel through the heartwood of living hardwoods, especially maples, and there is no treatment that saves an infested tree. Eradication means removing every infested tree and, in the early years, many nearby host trees too.
After the beetle was confirmed in Worcester in August 2008, federal and state crews surveyed the city tree by tree. Neighborhoods in the northeast lost most of their mature maples within a few years, changing streets that had been shaded for generations. Replanting programs have since put tens of thousands of new trees into the ground, with a much wider mix of species.
Survey and removal work continues inside the regulated area.
Regulated area rules
The Massachusetts ALB Cooperative regulated area covers about 74 square miles, including all of Worcester and West Boylston and parts of Holden, Boylston and Shrewsbury. It is regulated by order of the Commonwealth.
Moving live beetles, firewood, lumber, or any host tree, branch, twig, stump or other woody material out of the zone is prohibited. Host wood from inside the zone may only be used within it, and host wood must be inspected for signs of the beetle. Homeowners may burn wood from trees cut on their own property. The city offers seasonal drop-off for tree limbs.
Host trees in the regulated area
| Preference | Trees | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred hosts | Red, sugar, silver and Norway maples, boxelder, birches, elms, willows, horse-chestnut, Ohio buckeye | Most likely to be infested; wood is regulated |
| Occasional hosts | Ashes, European mountain ash, London plane, mimosa, poplars | Also regulated |
| Non-hosts | Oaks, conifers and many others | Not attacked by the beetle |
Signs of Asian longhorned beetle
Round exit holes about the size of a pencil or larger
Perfectly round, up to about three-eighths of an inch across.
Oval pits chewed in the bark
Egg sites where females lay.
Coarse sawdust at branch bases
Frass pushed out by tunneling larvae.
Large black beetles with white spots
Adults are active in summer and early fall.
What should I do if I suspect the beetle?
Photograph it, keep the insect if you can, and report it to the Worcester ALB office or the state hotline. Do not cut or move the tree yourself. Inspectors will survey it, and infested trees are removed under the program.
- Report
- The Worcester ALB Office or the toll-free state hotline.
- Do not move wood
- Debris from host trees stays inside the regulated area.
- Hire carefully
- Tree companies working in the zone must follow the wood handling rules.
Tree removal inside the regulated area
Identify the species
Host or non-host determines how wood is handled.
Check for beetle signs
Report anything suspicious before work.
Plan disposal
Host material stays within the zone, chipped or taken to approved sites.
Remove the tree
Using normal methods, with debris handled under the rules.
Worcester tree questions
Can I take firewood from Worcester to my camp in Maine?
Not host firewood. Moving firewood out of the regulated area is prohibited, and moving firewood long distances spreads pests even outside quarantines.
Is the Asian longhorned beetle still in Worcester?
The regulated area remains in place. Check the city and state pages for the latest survey status.
Do oaks get Asian longhorned beetle?
Oaks are not host trees for the beetle.
Did the 2008 ice storm affect Worcester too?
Yes. The December 2008 ice storm damaged trees across central Massachusetts the same year the beetle was found.
Reach a tree service in Worcester
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Worcester area, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
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(844) 955-1716Call nowCall availability varies by area and time of day