Report #4300 - Report: Golden Buprestid Beetle (Buprestis aurulenta)

Golden Buprestid Beetle (Buprestis aurulenta) on Jul 13, 2022

Originally reported as Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)

Submitter does not have a specimen

Description of specimen

On July 8, 2019 I found what I thought was an interesting bug (the green color was so striking) in the parking lot at my work and I took a picture. Fast forward to yesterday when I saw a story & picture of the emerald ash borer that was found in Oregon. I thought back to this bug I found and thought I need to go back and take a second look because the bug I found looked very similar to the one in the news story. The picture is attached below.

The bug itself was roughly 3/4" long and roughly 1/4" wide. I did not observe the bug to be moving so I could not say if it was alive or dead. These details are hard to remember.

Commentary

Thank you for your report! You are correct, this is a native, non-destructive species, the golden buprestid, Buprestis aurulenta. This insect feeds on a wide variety of conifers, unlike emerald ash borer, which feeds only on ash. The golden buprestid only attacks dying or recently dead trees. However, the grubs can survive for decades in untreated lumber cut from infested trees, sometimes emerging from houses many years after construction. Golden buprestids cannot reinfest lumber or houses. You can see more photos and a range map of golden buprestid beetles on iNaturalist, https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/215596-Buprestis-aurulenta. Emerald ash borers are about half the size of golden buprestids and a quarter as wide. There is a nice guide to look-alikes from ODA here: https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/IPPM/SurveyTreatment/Documents/EABLookAlikes.pdf

Lindsey Wise
July 14, 2022, 6:23 a.m.

Golden Buprestid Beetle (Buprestis aurulenta) on Jul 13, 2022

Description of specimen

Commentary

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