What do Asian longhorned beetles eat?

Adult Asian longhorned beetles eat the young bark, leaves and twigs of over 24 species of hardwood tree. These trees include the poplar, birch, maple and elm.

While the adults feed on the outer parts of the tree, the larvae of this species burrow into and eat the xylem and phloem. These are the parts in the cambium layer that deliver nutrients throughout the tree. Asian longhorned beetle larvae cause the death of many trees by cutting off the plant's access to its nutrients. These beetles are considered a pest due to their large population and the number of trees they destroy.