Beware of Asian Longhorn Beetle

(WTNH) - If Connecticut's parks and forests had a most wanted list, the Asian Longhorned Beetle would be at the top, and politicians and scientists want you to be on the lookout for this dangerous killer.

They have been spotted not too far away. The city of Worcester, Massachusetts, is fighting off a beetle invasion.

The adult female beetle lays dozens of eggs in a tree, and when they hatch, the larvae eat the part of the tree at the base of the bark. That cuts off the flow of fluids between the leaves and the roots, and the trees die.

The beetles like maple trees the best. In Worcester, authorities have cut down thousands of infected trees to try to get rid of the bugs. Worcester is less than 20 miles from the Connecticut border, so officials here want everyone to be on the lookout.

The Governor is having a press conference later this morning to talk about this threat. These beetles can grow to about 2 inches long. They're glossy black with white spots and long, black and white antennae.

If you see one, call the Agricultural Experiment Station at 203-974-8474. Try to take a picture of it, if you can, then kill it before it kills your trees.

For more information on the Asian Longhorned Beetle, visit the Department of Environmental Protection's Web site.