Asian Longhorned Beetle: Battling an invasive insect pest in an urban environment focusing on interactions between governmental agencies and industry, media, politicians and the community

Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) infestations have been targeted for eradication in North America over the past decade.  Many successes have been achieved with both current and emerging technological methods.  These programs are often questioned by the public, politicians, the media and by industries that are being regulated by governmental agencies.  Education and outreach are essential to gain acceptance and understanding of direct industries that will be harmed by this nonindigenous pest, how that will impact an individual’s existence, and adding an overview of the ecological and environmental impacts and the ramifications that this presents to future generations. Cooperative efforts and collaboration across agencies and partnering with universities and extension services is a valuable way to garner acceptance for these eradication programs. A lot has been learned from these interactions and this talk will review the lessons learned and how these scenarios can be approached in the future.

Keywords:  Asian Longhorned Beetle, ALB, Anoplophora glabripennis, eradication, cooperative efforts