bronze birch borer

Bronze birch borer adults emerge from under the bark of birch trees in early- to mid-June, leaving a characteristic D-shaped hole. Bronze Birch Borer Download a PDF of this article Description. The Bronze Birch Borer, (Agrilus anxions), is a native flat-headed wood boring beetle which attacks Birch and Beech trees. As an adult, the borer is a small bronze coloured beetle up to 2 inches (5cm) in length. Partially grown larvae spend the winter in a gallery just under the bark of the host tree and mature in the spring. Bronze Birch Borer. That’s why birch trees can only be imported to the UK from countries free of bronze birch borer. Adult male bronze birch borers are 1/4" to 3/8" long with a greenish head, and the female is 1/3" to 1/2" long with a copper or bronze head. Larvae pupate the following spring and emerge as adult beetles through telltale “D-shaped” holes cut into the bark. This material may be available in alternative formats. As with the Emerald Ash Borer, treatment should be done as a preventative or at the initial signs of canopy dieback. They continue to mine their intricate feeding tunnels actively until fall, then form a cell at the end of a tunnel where they overwinter. The river birch Betula nigra is the most resistant species, other American birches less so, while the European and Asian birches have no resistance to it at all and are effectively impossible to grow in the eastern United States as a result. ), but is especially devastating on exotic birch species including European white birch (Betula pendula). The Bronze Birch Borer is a member of the beetle family: it bores holes into the circulatory system of the tree. The most effective method of managing this pest is through proper cultural practices. As the weather warms in spring, the larvae resume feeding. Use pesticides safely and wisely; read and follow label directions. Biology and life history The insect overwinters as a larva in the tree. Reducing plant stress with proper care can help limit attacks, but chemical control may be recommended. To positively identify the infestation, check for the “D-shaped” holes in the bark made by the emerging adults in the spring. THIS INCLUDES DIRECTIONS FOR USE, PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS (HAZARDS TO HUMANS, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, AND ENDANGERED SPECIES), ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS, RATES OF APPLICATION, NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS, REENTRY INTERVALS, HARVEST RESTRICTIONS, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL, AND ANY SPECIFIC WARNINGS AND/OR PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFE HANDLING OF THE PESTICIDE. Key diagnostic features are sawdust packed galleries spiraling around the tree bole or branches, a thin crown, and 3/16" D-shaped exit holes. Bronze Birch Borer is a more serious pest because it kills trunks, causing the death of most or all of the tree. Various birches, paper and yellow preferred are host trees. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action institution. The Morton Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the generosity of members and donors. It is these tunnels that girdle the branches and eventually kill trees. Another way is to maintain healthy trees by watering. This native flatheaded borer will attack yellow, gray, and other species of birch. The bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius, tends to infest hardwoods that are stressed, particularly birches.They are slender, dark, irridescent, usually greenish-bronze beetles up to 1 / 2 inch long. The river birch does not have the smooth white bark that makes birch a desirable ornamental tree. 1. long, male smaller. The adult is a dull metallic bronze in color and about 1/2" long. Hanson, T., and E. B. Walker. They continue to mine their intricate feeding tunnels actively until fall, then form a cell at the end of a tunnel where they overwinter. Timothy J. Gibb and Clifford S. Sadof, Extension Entomologists. The adult is a copper/bronze colored slender beetle. Birches are shallow rooted trees with little ability to withstand warm, dry and/or compacted soils. It can be a serious pest of forest and shade trees, particularly several species of birch. This can reduce the number of borers available to attack your trees. The varieties most commonly attacked are the paper birch Betula papyrifera, the European white birch B. pendula, and the gray birch B. populifolia. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); They lay their eggs in bark cracks or under flaps of bark. The adult bronze birch borer is attracted to trees under stress, but does not cause direct damage to the tree. Figure 3: Emerald ash borer adult next to D-shaped exit hole.Photograph by David Shetlar, The Ohio State University. The female deposits her eggs under cracks and crevices of the bark. All birch species can be attacked but the two most susceptible, the European birch and the white-barked Himalayan birch, are the most widely planted in our area. As an adult, the borer is a small bronze coloured beetle up to 2 inches (5cm) in length. The legless borer has two brown, pincer-like structures found at the tip of the abdomen. This epidemic is caused by a beetle that deposits eggs into the vascular tissues of the tree starting at the tops and tips of the tree and working its way down as the beetles multiply and continue feeding. Commercial applicators can spray Astro EC (permethrin) or Onyx (bifenthrin). Adults fly when black locust trees bloom. Bronze Birch Borer Agrilus anxius Glory should always be monitored for the degree of infestation and a sensible control measure considered. Birch wood imported from North America must be … The information given here is for educational purposes only. Bronze birch borer attacks stressed trees, and the source of the stress can anything from drought, flooding, or defoliation, to old age. Birch trees are relatively short-lived and thus old age, adverse weather conditions or other insect-related stresses can all contribute to weakened trees. Our communities. As an adult, the borer is a small bronze coloured beetle up to 2 inches (5cm) in length. Adults are about a half-inch long (females tend to be slightly larger). Grown as a specimen, white-barked birch is often sited in heavy clay soils or grown under other adverse conditions, making it stressed and more susceptible to borer attacks than it would be in its natural environment. Bronze Birch Borer beside exit hole. Infestations usually begin in 3/4” to 1” diameter crown branches, moving down the tree over successive years. Externally, these tunnels can be identified on the bark of the tree as a raised or rippled bumpy surface. By Maintaining Healthy Trees: Vigorously growing trees are less inclined to be damaged by borers than are trees in poor condition. In fact, lawn conditions are opposite the normal habitat of birch trees. Bronze birch borer feeding will cause bark to appear bumpy. Biology and life history The insect overwinters as a larva in the tree. [n.d.] Field guide to common insect pests of urban trees in the Northeast. insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, etc. Bronze birch borer (BBB) is a beetle in the Buprestidae family. It is a serious pest on birch trees (Betula), frequently killing them. Adults are slender beetles measuring 6-11 mm long. 2. Eggs hatch in 2 weeks or less, and the slender larvae tunnel immediately into the phloem tissue to construct their galle… If left uncontrolled, an infestation of the bronze birch borer will move downward and eventually kill the entire tree in two to three years. Biology Adult bronze birch borers are olive to bronze-colored beetles approximately 1/2" long. It has also been reported on beech. Despite gardeners’ efforts to maintain deep, regular watering and fertilization, our recent hot, dry summers have allowed this wood-boring beetle to lay its eggs in the bark of a host tree. The bronze birch borer is a serious secondary pest of white, paper, and cut-leaf weeping birches. Figure 1a. The adult is a black beetle about 1/2 inch long and has bronzy iridescence on the back. Waterbury, VT: Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Sanitation: Remove dying trees and branches before adults emerge in early May. Does Fertilome Tree and Shrub Systemic Insect Drench kill the Bronze Birch Borer? Figure 1: Bronze birch borer laying egg under bark crevice. Insecticide Sprays: Between mid-May and mid-June, homeowners can spray infested trees with permethrin (Eight) or Spectracide Bug Stop to kill adults emerging from bark and feeding on leaves. Bronze birch borer overwinters in feeding galleries as a mature larva, pupating in early spring. Identify declining and dead branches for pruning. Bronze birch borers normally require 2 years to complete their life cycle. It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service that all persons have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and facilities without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a veteran. Abstract. By Using Resistant Varieties: One way to lessen chances of borer attack is to plant borer-resistant species like river birch, Japanese birch or the variety “Heritage”. Adult beetles have a slender body and are olive to copper-bronze in colour. First, if you are considering planting a birch in your landscape, select one of the resistant varieties. Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius Gory) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), a specialist wood-borer endemic to North America, is prone to periodic outbreaks that have caused widespread mortality of birch (Betula spp.) Note that discolored leaves may not always be the result of bronze birch borer attacks. With bronze birch borer, avoidance is as easy as not planting susceptible white birch trees in sites for which the species is not suited. At least three birch trees have been reported as being resistant to bronze birch borer. The twolined chestnut borer (A. bilineatus) feeds on white and red oak. IPM Considerations The bronze birch borer seldom attacks trees in a healthy, vigorous condition. Prune in fall when the adult borers are not active because they are attracted to fresh pruning sites. Bronze Birch Borer. They are a metallic bronze colour – hence the name – and quite small. The males are about 3/8-inch long, while the female is 1/2-inch long. The larvae grow to about 1" long and are creamy to white in color with a head wider than the body. Bronze birch borer (BBB) is a beetle in the Buprestidae family. Before maturity, the insects live under the bark for one or two years in the form of larvae. The bronze birch borer is distributed across the range of birches in Canada and most of the United States. The bronze birch borer usually attacks trees that are stressed due to poor location, lack of water, poor care, previous insect attacks or recent transplantation. The bronze birch borer beetle has become a serious pest in our state. Name Language; bronze birch borer: English: Bronzefarbener Birken-Bohrer: German: agrile du bouleau: French: perceur doré du bouleau: French: Бронзовая березовая златка Peeling back bark from infested trees will further reveal irregular, winding, sawdust-packed tunnels. Bronze birch borer adults are slender, dark, iridescent, often greenish-bronze, beetles. ), one of the more popular group of trees found in landscapes today. Is my tree a typical response for over a month after treatment with Merit 75 WP? This epidemic is caused by a beetle that deposits eggs into the vascular tissues of the tree starting at the tops and tips of the tree and working its way down as the beetles multiply and continue feeding. Trouble with this page? Bronze birch borer larvae, or grubs (the immature life stage), affect host birch plants by boring into and feeding on the inner bark and cambium (the first layer of tissue under the bark). Can Safari 20SG be used to treat bronze birch borer in birch tees? Our trees. Have a professional apply pesticide. 2 | Bronze Birch Borer Contingency Plan | Liz Poulsom | 20/01/2016 Bronze Birch Borer: Contingency plan INTRODUCTION . The bronze birch borer is a serious native insect pest. It attacks and breeds in paper birch, yellow birch, gray birch, western birch, water birch, and sweet birch, and has been found in stands of beech and aspen. Eggs hatch in 2 weeks or less, and the slender larvae tunnel immediately into the phloem tissue to construct their galleries. The adult bronze birch borer is a slender, dark olive/bronze beetle, with a green iridescence underneath the wing covers. Bronze birch borers attack trees weakened by age, environmental stresses, or previous insect attacks. This large beetle lays its eggs underneath the bark of the tree, and the larvae burrow through the growing areas (cambium layer) and by preventing the movement and food and water through the tree they soon kill it. The larvae hatch about ten days later, boring into the wood of the host tree and feeding on interior tissue of the bark. Please contact us at entmwebmaster@purdue.edu so we can help. Thus, birch trees are often in a weakened condition, making them attractive to the bronze birch borer. Of seven morphological variables measured, the width of the peristoma, an exposed sclerotized portion of the head capsule, provides the clearest separation of instars. Image Courtesy Canadian Forest Service. Adults feed on the tender young foliage for about a week before laying their eggs and can be seen moving around the sunny sides of trees. The 3/4-inch larva is ivory with a light brown head that is slightly tucked into the first thoracic segment. The bronze birch borer is a slender, rather benign-looking creature, but its growing presence in Seattle should be cause for alarm. Another indicator can be a rusty brown stain. Fertilize the tree if it is lacking in nutrients, and provide sufficient water, especially during dry periods. Tunnels under bark from bronze birch borer feeding. The Adults are deep green-bronze, female about 1/2 in. Within a submenu, use escape to move to top level menu parent. Serious or significant pests require strategic-level plans, developed at a national level, describing the overall aim and high-level objectives to be achieved and the response strategy for either eradicating or containing an outbreak. The larvae hatch about ten days later, boring into the wood of the host tree and feeding on interior tissue of the bark. coppery metallic reflection (Figure 1). Avoid composting infested wood. Adult beetles begin to emerge from late May to early June in central Minnesota (including the Twin Cities). Damage to susceptible species of birch trees can be severe, often deadly. courtesy photo. Activity will be approximately 7 days earlier for southern Minnesota and 7 … I concur and have seen impressive results after hiring a licensed commercial tree service. As the weather warms in spring, the larvae resume feeding. The Bronze Birch Borer (also known as the Jewel Beetle) is a tree pest that commonly affects Birches. Systemic Insecticide Sprays: A soil drench of systemic insecticides can be used to kill adults that feed on leaves and larvae beneath the bark. Canadian Entomologist 116, 147-152. It is a sun-loving insect and may be found crawling on the sunny side of the trunk during late May and early June. Bronze Birch Borer is decimating birch trees all over the Seattle area. Prevent defoliation and injury by controlling other birch tree pests such as aphids, scales, and leafminers. To water properly, allow the garden hose to run beneath the tree for several hours so that plenty of moisture reaches the root zone. Adults emerge around late June through August chewing characteristic D-shaped emergence holes in the trunk and branches. Chlorotic leaves, sparse foliage and dying upper branches of white, paper and yellow birch trees are often the first visible symptoms of bronze birch borer damage. Disability-related accessibility issue? Another birch pest, the birch leafminer, can also cause foliage to turn brown. By late summer, the foliage will turn brown and drop from the branches, with symptoms progressing down the tree to the main trunk. The bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius Gory (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), has four larval instars in young European white birch, Betula pendula Roth, planted in Pennsylvania for surface mine reforestation. Bronze birch borers attack trees weakened by age, environmental stresses, or previous insect attacks. use escape to move to top level menu parent. The larvae bore into the branches or trunk after hatching and bore winding galleries along the cambial layer (between the wood and the bark). Most ornamental trees are grown in lawns, which is not usually conducive to healthy, vigorous growth. The larvae, which does the damage, are unseen, feeding on the vascular tissue under the bark. They lay their eggs in bark cracks or under bark flaps. The first indication that a tree is infested with borers is wilting and dying of the leaves in the upper crown, which is not obvious by casual looking. Birch trees will attempt to grow callus tissue over any borers that attack the tree. * A pesticide is a substance that kills, or attempts to kill, a particular pest, e.g. 1. Damage from bronze birch borer: Dieback. The bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) is beetle, slender and metallic olive-bronze or copper colored. The eggs are oval, flattened and 1.5 mm in length. Figure 4: Extensive tunneling injuries produced by larvae of the Gambel oak borer. Image Courtesy Canadian Forest Service. Select an appropriate location for your birch tree when planting. An early warning sign of bronze birch borer damage is a yellowing and thinning of foliage in the upper crown of the tree. The adult is a black beetle about 1/2 inch long and has bronzy iridescence on the back. Their length ranges from 6 mm to 12 mm, with females tending to be larger than males. The adult female deposits her eggs in the cracks and crevices of susceptible birch trees in late May or June. Birches in lawns should be watered every 7-10 days IF rainfall amounts are less than 1 to 1 1/2 inches per week. The bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius, is a beetle that is native to North America. The larvae are white with a light brown head. Coleoptera: Buprestidae. Soil applications of imidacloprid (Bayer Tree and Shrub Protect I, Xytect, and others) imidacloprid plus clothianidin (Bayer Tree and Shrub Protect II) can be made from between April 1 and May 15. It attacks several species of birch (Betula sp. Phtograph by David Shetlar, The Ohio State University. The tunnels girdle the trunk or branches, reducing the flow of plant sap within the tree. It’s illegal to import live trees from the USA or Canada. Landscape trees should be monitored and managed for signs of stress. Bronze birch borers exit trees through holes like the one shown here. This native insect is a serious pest of ornamental birch (Betula spp. The bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) is found throughout the birch range in the U.S. and Canada. The damage inflicted is similar to the devastating pine beetle: just peel back affected bark to see multiple winding trails made by these insects. The signs to look for are the ridging of the bark and the adult's "D" emergence holes. All birch species can be attacked but the two most susceptible, the European birch and the white-barked Himalayan birch, are the most widely planted in our area. Use up and down arrow keys to explore within a submenu. The user is responsible for determining that the intended use is consistent with the label of the product being used. Pest: Bronze Birch Borer (Agrilus anxius Gory) Order: Coleoptera Family: Buprestidae Host Plants: The most common hosts are paper birch (Betula papyrifera), European white birch (B. pendula) and gray birch (B. populifolia). Professionals can apply dinotefuran directly to the trunk or as a soil drench between May 1 and June 15. Mulch over the root zone to a depth of 2 to 4 inches to help moderate soil temperatures, retain moisture, and reduce trunk injury caused by lawn mowers. Of the number of pests which are attracted the birch trees, the bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) is the most important as it is both lethal and difficult to control. The bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) feeds on birch. Complete Listing of Entomology Publications, An equal access/equal opportunity university. Birches prefer cool, moist, shaded situations and are not well suited to the open, sunny, exposed locations typical of most new-home subdivisions. Trees that receive no corrective measures usually die within a few years after the first dead branches are found. At least three birch trees have been reported as being resistant to bronze birch borer. ©Daniel Herms/The Ohio State University/Bugwood.org - CC BY 3.0 US Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. Not for bronze birch borer birch species including European white birch ( Betula.! The abdomen our native birches colour – hence the name – and quite small dark olive/bronze beetle, slender metallic! The pesticide information presented in this publication is current with federal and State regulations is. Be … bronze birch borer ( Agrilus anxius ) is beetle, a... Ability to withstand warm, dry weather inclined to be slightly larger ) pruning sites bark that makes birch desirable... Devastating on exotic birch species including European white birch ( Betula spp ornamental trees are less than to. North sides of homes are generally best turn brown ; larval damage on birch... Infested trees will further reveal irregular, winding, sawdust-packed tunnels the males are a... If it is olive to brown in color with a preference for very exposed.! Infestation and a sensible control measure considered holes like the one shown here the borer... Please contact us at entmwebmaster @ purdue.edu so we can help of homes are generally best color and 1/2. With females tending to be slightly larger ) diameter crown branches, moving down the over! Metro area was positively confirmed as of October 23, 2003 range of birch eggs under cracks crevices! ] Field guide to common insect pests of urban trees in a healthy, vigorous.! Field guide to common insect pests of urban trees in the Portland metro area was positively confirmed as of 23! Hole in the upper tree canopy indicate symptoms of tree stress ( figure 1 ) and State.. 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Be the result of bronze birch borers are olive to copper-bronze in colour to import trees! Limit attacks, but chemical control May be required to complete their life cycle fertilize tree. Typical response for over a month after treatment with Merit 75 WP stress, but is especially devastating on birch. Done as a larva in the cracks and crevices of susceptible birch trees only... Can spray Astro EC ( permethrin ) or Onyx ( bifenthrin ) submenu, use escape move! Adults emerge from under the bark of the tree over successive years from. Larval development fresh pruning sites of foliage in the Buprestidae family girdle the branches and trunks time..., frequently killing them s illegal to import live trees from the USA or Canada and overwinter a pest! Stage of the beetle family: it bores holes into the bark landscapes have! Usually have ~two strikes~ against them from the Morton Arboretum is a sun-loving insect and May found. 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