Insects and Spiders - native

Metallic woodborer, Chrysophana placida on Jul 31, 2023

Submitter has sample

Description of specimen

My raywood ash tree did not leaf out on the top of the crown in spring. Today a bug landed on me that I think is an emerald ash borer. Pictures attached.

Commentary

Thank you for your report! This is not EAB. It's a native member of the Metallic Wood-boring beetle family, Chrysophana placida. These beetles are less slender than EAB. They are not tree killers. Their grubs live in dead conifers.

There are a number of iridescent green look-alike beetles in Oregon that are not pests. I am attaching a link to the ODA EAB webpage with some photos of other Oregon insects that could be mistaken for EAB

https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/IPPM/SurveyTreatment/Documents/EABLookAlikes.pdf

Thanks for being on the lookout!

Tom Valente
Aug. 1, 2023, 2:07 a.m.