SHREWSBURY — State and federal officials announced on Friday, Sept. 18, that the Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated in Shrewsbury, removing the town from Worcester County’s quarantine zone.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the DCR, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service worked together on the eradication effort. Shrewsbury is the second Worcester County community removed from the Asian longhorn beetle (ALB) quarantine, following Holden in 2025.
The quarantine zone now includes Worcester, Boylston, West Boylston and part of Auburn.
Asian longhorned beetles feed on maple and other hardwood trees, threatening forest health and public safety, the DCR said. Infested trees can become fragile and more likely to fall or lose branches. The beetle is believed to have entered the United States in wood packing materials, and was first detected in the United States about 30 years ago in New York.
According to the DCR, the Asian longhorned beetle was first detected in Massachusetts in Worcester in 2008. Since then, state and federal crews have inspected trees, removed infested trees and wood, and restricted the movement of wood that could carry the beetle to new communities.
“Early detection of infestations and rapid treatment response are crucial to successful eradication of ALB,” DCR’s Press Secretary Peter Jasinski said in a statement. “If left untreated, ALB has the potential to cause more damage than Dutch elm disease, chestnut blight and spongy moths combined, potentially destroying millions of acres of treasured hardwoods in backyards and forests”
Officials urged residents in the 75.75 square mile regulated area of Worcester County to report suspected beetles or tree damage, follow local guidance for moving or disposing of yard waste, and use firewood gathered where it will be burned or certified as heat-treated. Tree companies working in the area should have an Asian longhorned beetle compliance agreement.
Residents can contact the Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program at 1-866-702-9938 or visit the DCR’s ALB webpage for more information.
