Pest profile

Velvet Longhorned Beetle

Trichoferus campestris · Coleoptera: Cerambycidae[3]

The velvet longhorned beetle is an invasive wood-boring beetle from Asia and Russia whose larvae tunnel in apple, cherry, mulberry, peach and other trees, as well as cut wood; it spreads in firewood and wood packing.[1][2]

Velvet longhorned beetle, a slender dark brown beetle with reddish legs and long antennae, on a pale surface
Velvet longhorned beetle, a slender dark brown beetle with reddish legs and long antennae, on a pale surface. (c) Karol Ox, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Adults are 1/2 to 3/4 inch long and dark brown to brownish orange, with legs and antennae lighter than the body.[1][2]
  • Fine hairs scattered over the body and wing covers form light patches, the source of the name velvet.[1][2]
  • Adults leave round exit holes about 3/8 inch across in trunks and branches.[2]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Other longhorned beetlesMany native longhorned beetles look similar, so suspects should be confirmed by experts.[1][2]

Where it lives

First found in North America in Quebec in 2002 and in the U.S. in Rhode Island in 2006, it has been detected in a few other states, including Utah since 2010; Minnesota's Department of Agriculture monitors for it.[1][2]

US map: public records from 14 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Adults emerge from June to August (May to August in Utah) and fly at night.[1][2]

Females lay eggs on trunks and branches of healthy, stressed or dying trees and on cut timber; larvae tunnel under the bark and into the wood.[2]

Larvae can take two or more years to develop and pupate in late winter to spring.[1][2]

Damage and signs

  • Signs include round exit holes, frass at the tree base, peeling bark, larval tunnels, sprouts from the trunk and a thinning, yellowing canopy.[1][2]
  • Larval feeding can weaken branches so they break in wind, and can reduce fruit yield and tree life.[2]

Health risk

None to people; it is a tree and wood pest.[1][2]

Control

Prevention

Don't move firewood; it and wood packing material are how the beetle spreads to new areas.[2]

When to call a professional

Report suspects to your state department of agriculture or extension diagnostic lab, as Minnesota and Utah ask.[1][2]

Common questions

How do I identify a velvet longhorned beetle?
Look for a 1/2- to 3/4-inch brownish beetle with lighter legs and antennae and patches of fine hair; many look-alikes exist, so have it confirmed.[1][2]
What trees does it attack?
Apple, cherry, mulberry, peach, maple and many other hardwoods and conifers, plus cut and dried wood.[1][2]
What should I do if I find one?
Report it to your state department of agriculture or extension diagnostic lab.[1][2]

Sources

  1. University of Minnesota Extension, “Velvet longhorned beetle.” extension.umn.edu/natural-resources/forestry-and-wildlife/invasive-species/velvet-longhorned-beetle (accessed 2026-10-15)
  2. Utah State University Extension, “Velvet Longhorned Beetle, Trichoferus campestris (Rodman et al., July 2020).” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/velvet-longhorned-beetle.php (accessed 2026-10-15)
  3. iNaturalist, “Trichoferus campestris taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/447062 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-15. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.