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The Asian longhorned beetle quarantine around Worcester

Shrewsbury came out of the federal beetle quarantine on Oct 1, 2026. Which towns are still in it, and what it means for tree work and firewood.

Is your town in the beetle quarantine?

  • Worcester, Boylston, West Boylston: Inside the quarantine. As of the federal order of October 1, 2026, Worcester, Boylston and West Boylston are in the Asian longhorned beetle quarantine area. The exact boundary is on the APHIS map.
  • Auburn: Partly inside. The northern part of Auburn is in the quarantine area. Check the official map to see which side of the line you're on.
  • Shrewsbury and Holden: No longer in the quarantine. The federal government removed all of Shrewsbury from the quarantine area on October 1, 2026. The part of Holden that had been regulated has been removed from the area.
  • Leicester, Paxton, Northborough, Westborough, another town: Not in the quarantine area. The current area covers Worcester, Boylston, West Boylston and northern Auburn.

Under “Inside” and “Partly inside”:

  • Moving tree material out of the area is restricted. That includes hardwood firewood, and branches, logs, stumps, roots and debris half an inch thick or more from the beetle's host trees.
  • Tree companies and landscapers need a federal compliance agreement or permit before moving regulated material out of the area. Ask any company you hire whether they have one.
  • Residents of the quarantine area have to follow the same limits on moving tree material and untreated firewood.

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What changed in October 2026

On October 1, 2026, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service removed all of Shrewsbury, 21.8 square miles, from the quarantine. The area that remains covers the City of Worcester, the towns of Boylston and West Boylston, and the northern part of Auburn. The part of Holden that used to be regulated was removed earlier.

The beetle was first found in Worcester in 2008. A second outbreak, in Boston in 2010, has since been eradicated. The Worcester infestation is still being worked on.

What the quarantine controls

Under the federal rules, regulated material includes:

  • live beetles at any stage
  • firewood from any hardwood species
  • material from the beetle's host trees, living, dead, cut or fallen, including nursery stock, logs, green lumber, stumps, roots, branches and debris half an inch thick or more

Tree companies, landscapers, firewood dealers, nurseries and other regulated businesses need a compliance agreement or permit before moving regulated material out of the area. Residents have to follow the limits on moving tree material and untreated firewood too.

Why infested trees come down

According to USDA, infested trees can't be treated or saved. The only way to destroy the beetle is to remove the tree and chip or burn the wood.

Signs to look for

  • Adult beetles, in warmer months: a shiny black body about the size of an almond with white spots, and black-and-white antennae longer than the body
  • Tree damage, any time of year: round exit holes about the size of a dime or smaller, oval or round egg sites in the bark (sometimes oozing sap), sawdust-like material at the base or in branch crotches, healthy-looking branches falling, and leaves turning yellow early

Reporting

Report a beetle or damage online through the USDA, or call the hotline at 1-866-702-9938. The Massachusetts ALB Cooperative Eradication Program is at 508-852-8090. If you can, photograph it, and freeze a beetle in a sturdy container so it can be identified. If you see a monitoring trap, leave it alone.