Bronze Birch Borer (Agrilus anxius) on Jan 20, 2023

Originally reported as Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)

Submitter does not have a specimen

Description of specimen

This past summer I noticed that my 2 stands of 3 berch trees had branches that we're dieing so I went in for a closer look. I noticed holes in the trees that I at first thought were from a woodpecker or sapsucker but they were of an odd shape so I started searching online to see what I could find. Several types of boring beetle showed up on my websearch so I did some more investigating and noticed the D shaped holes that emerald ash borer beetles make so I assumed that is what it was. I did some digging under the bark in the area of these holes and found a maze of leetle trails the beetles had made and actually found one of the beetles as well. I tool a picture but am not sure if I still have it. The trees are all dead now and are still standing for now.

Commentary

Thank you for your report! The borer in your birch trees is not EAB, but probably its relative the Bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius. BBB causes damage similar to EAB and can severely damage birches.

Thanks for being on the lookout!

Tom Valente
Jan. 22, 2023, 11:48 p.m.