Invasive Insects

The City of Worcester has provided the public with pertinent information related to the threat Asian Longhorned Beetles have on our trees and forestry. If you have any questions, please contact the Massachusetts ALB Eradication Program at 508-852-8090 or 1-866-702-9938

The Massachusetts ALB Cooperative has confirmed a regulated area of 74 square miles and includes all of the City of Worcester and the Town of West Boylston, as well as portions of the Towns of Holden, Boylston and Shrewsbury. This area is under strict regulation by order of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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Learn More About the ALB

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect first detected in Massachusetts in 2021 and now confirmed in nearly 150 communities statewide. Worcester has been determined to be a hotspot for the infestation. SLFs feed on sap from over 100 plant species but prefer the tree-of-heaven (itself invasive and common in urban/disturbed sites), along with grapevines, maple, and black walnut. Their feeding habits can weaken and kill grapevines and young saplings, and produces a sticky "honeydew" residue that grows sooty mold and fouls patios, cars, and outdoor gathering spaces. Residents are encouraged to follow the guidelines linked below to help manage and slow the spread of the SLF.

Learn More About the Spotted Lanternfly

Report SLF Sightings

Fore the latest SLF updates in Massachusetts, please visit Mass.gov/slf. For any other questions related to the SLF, contact slf@mass.gov.