have it in freezer. 541-404-2690 brian

Reporter
Sept. 3, 2009, 2:05 p.m.

Hi Brian, thanks for your report of the Banded Alder Borer; your photo does indeed confirm this species of insect. The larvae of this borer feeds in dead hardwood trees such as maple, alder, oak, and willow. Unlike other borers, this insect does not attack living trees.The Asian and Citrus long-horned beetles pose a threat to Pacific Northwest forests (http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/plantclinic/resources/pdf/pls41longhornbeetle.pdf), however, the Banded Alder Borer and Oregon Fir Sawyer do not - they are native and perform an important function in our forests as they consume decaying and dead trees.

I can definitely understand why you may have thought the Banded Alder Borer was an invasive, as many invasives are larger, oddly colored, etc. But sometimes the most "out-of-place" looking species are actually natives.

Thanks for keeping a watchful eye for invasives!

Lisa DeBruyckere
Sept. 4, 2009, 8:15 a.m.