Watch out for Longhorn Beetles warns the HTA

The HTA is urging growers to be vigilant and watch for signs of Citrus and Asian Longhorn beetles.

The warning comes following an outbreak in the Boskoop area of the Netherlands.

HTA Director of Business Development Tim Briercliffe said “Beetles of the Anoplophora family are a serious invasive pest and pose a real threat to the horticultural industry and the wider environment. They can infest a very wide range of broad-leaved trees.

There are no known outbreaks in the UK at present and it is vital that we keep the beetles out of the UK. The HTA urges any growers suspecting symptoms to report them to their Plant Health Inspector as soon as possible. Details of symptoms and the beetles can be found on the Food and Environment Agency website”.

“Emergency control measures have been imposed around the area in the Netherlands, including destruction orders and restrictions on movements of plants within 2km of the site, pending inspections on nurseries.”

Briercliffe continued “These measures, which are thought to be impacting on around 550 nurseries, will clearly have an impact on plant trade from the Netherlands over the coming weeks while Dutch inspectors inspect nurseries for signs of the beetles.”