Golden Buprestid Beetle (Buprestis aurulenta) on Jul 17, 2022
Submitter has sample
Description of specimen
Emerald ash borer I believe
Commentary
Thank you for your report! 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
Mrs. Lindsey Wise Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, inr.oregonstate.edu/orbic Oregon iMapInvasives Institute for Natural Resources Portland State University
Lindsey Wise
July 18, 2022, 1:26 a.m.