Department of Entomology Eyes on the Forest

Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) is a fungal pathogen that is spread via a beetle that is native to the southwestern U.S. Since 2010, TCD has been found as close as Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and Pennsylvania. In 2014, the walnut twig beetle has been found in southern Indiana as well, but the disease has not yet been found associated with it.

The fungus hitches a ride on the tiny walnut twig beetle. When the beetle feeds on tree branches, it introduces the disease to the healthy tree. The resulting cankers can be small, but as more of the cankers form on branches, it eventually cuts off nutrients to the leaves and slowly “starves” the tree.