Contact The DEC If You Find This Destructive Beetle In New York State

We still have over half of summer remaining, which means the threat of bugs is far from over. Yes, we know about annoying and menacing bugs such as mosquitoes, gnats and wasps -- however, there is another bug that you must watch out for right now in New York State, due to its invasive nature.

According to Syracuse.com, there's a bug that can be found in and around pools that can cause major harm to maple trees in New York.

The Asian, longhorned beetle.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos says that now is the time to eradicate these bugs, which can limit infestation early on.

If you have a pool, you're asked to check pool filters and skimmers. If you find the beetle or something you might suspect is the Asian, longhorned beetle, you're asked to email pictures of the bug. The beetles are black with white spots on their wing cases. They also have extremely long antennas.

The beetles can attack any broad-leaved tree, including maple trees, which can be hurtful for the maple industry.

You can email photos of suspected beetles to the DEC: @foresthealth@dec.ny.gov

If you don't have a pool, you can also watch for sawdust on trees, yellow dropping leaves, and pencil-sized holes in tree trunks where beetles exit a tree.

Hopefully, these beetles don't cause too much damage over the next several weeks.