Tree-killing Asian beetle spotted in Europe for the first time

A small but destructive beetle from Asia has been found in the European Union for the first time. Officials in Hungary and Slovakia confirmed that the emerald ash borer was discovered in both countries this summer. The beetle is well known for killing ash trees and has already caused serious damage across North America. Scientists and governments in Europe are now on high alert.

In Slovakia, 18 emerald ash borers were found this month in the Streda nad Bodrogom district, in the eastern part of the country. The discovery was announced by Slovakia's Agricultural Central Control and Testing Institute, known as UKSUP. Officials are working to find out how far the beetle may have already spread in the region. They are treating the situation as a serious threat to the country's forests.

In Hungary, two adult beetles were caught in June inside a trap set in the Beregsurany forest, close to the border with Ukraine. Hungary's food safety office, called NEBIH, described the emerald ash borer as one of the most serious pests that can attack ash trees. The office warned that it has already caused major die-offs of ash trees in North America and Eastern Europe. This makes the discovery especially worrying for European forest officials.

Hungarian authorities quickly ordered more traps to be placed in forests across the country. They also called for better monitoring to track how far the beetle has moved. The emerald ash borer can grow up to half an inch long when fully grown. NEBIH asked the public to report any trees that look sick or show unusual damage.

The beetle has caused enormous destruction in North America over the past two decades. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it has killed or damaged tens of millions of ash trees and has now been found in 38 states and Washington, D.C. It was first spotted in North America in 2002, near Detroit, Michigan. Experts say the beetle is a strong flyer that can spread naturally over large distances.

Scientists in the United States have been searching for ways to stop the beetle's spread. In Minnesota, officials launched a program that releases special wasps that attack the emerald ash borer during different stages of its life. These wasps target only the invasive beetle and do not harm other animals or plants. A 2025 study also found that certain fungi in Minnesota can kill the beetle.

The beetle has continued to move into new areas in the U.S., reaching Denver last summer and North Dakota in 2024. Many European countries say they already have emergency plans in place in case the pest was ever detected on the continent. Hungary has asked for the issue to be placed on the agenda at the next EU agriculture ministers' meeting. Hungary's Agriculture Minister Szabolcs Bona said officials are doing everything possible to stop the beetle from becoming a lasting problem across Europe.