Michigan has recorded its first detection of the elm zigzag sawfly, an invasive insect whose larvae create winding feeding trails on elm leaves.
According to a press release from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the first detection in the state was in St. Clair County. State officials said an arborist submitted the report through the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service later confirmed it.
MDARD noted the species, native to Asia, was detected in Canada in 2020, then in Virginia in 2021, and has since been reported in multiple eastern and midwestern states.
People are most likely to notice the insect during its larval stage, when it looks yellow-green and caterpillar-like, with a brown band on the head and dark T-shaped markings on the hind legs.
Those larvae feed on elm leaves, with younger ones leaving the familiar winding "zigzag" patterns beginning at the leaf's edge, while older larvae chew larger notches and consume more of the leaf's surface.
MDARD Director Tim Boring addressed the detection in the state's announcement.
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"While this is the first detection of the invasive elm zigzag sawfly in Michigan, it's important to emphasize the insect does not pose a significant threat to Michigan's people, animals, agriculture or natural resources," Boring said.
Despite that, officials are asking residents to report suspected sightings to track the invasive pest's movement through the state.
In the release, state officials also urged people to check vehicles and outdoor gear after trips, clear off plant debris and soil, and avoid transporting firewood or other possibly infested materials to avoid spreading the species further.
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