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Paging tree experts and help with bug ID
Posted on 4/25/24 at 6:09 pm
Posted on 4/25/24 at 6:09 pm
I have what I think is Dicercas on a oak tree. According to net a Dicerca is a wood boring beetle. I have these around the bottom of a water oak. Is this tree a goner? I do see some 1/4” size holes in the bark. The body of the bug under its wings is metallic green.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 7:47 pm to lsujunky
Probably nothing to worry about. Metallic Wood boring beetles are fairly common. Most bore into dead wood, and the few that do bore into and feed on live wood usually aren't going to kill the tree. Of course there are invasive species like the emerald ash borer that are a serious problem, and may lead to the extinction of ash trees, but native wood boring beetles aren't significant pests.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 8:27 pm to lsujunky
The number of wood boring beetles and other insects, some that have a broad range of host trees, out there is more than you'd ever imagine. Generally, if it is a native species they aren't much threat. The tree evolved alongside them, as did other insects such as parasitic wasps which act as a check on the beetle population.
Here's what I've seen just in the past few weeks around my place:
Red-headed Ash Borer:
Banded Hickory Borer:
Red-Necked Cane Borer Beetle:
And these two last year:
Ivory Marked Borer:
Maple Callus Borer Moth:
And here a couple of parasitic wasps I've seen lately that target these type borers:
If you hang around and watch long enough you would probably see similar small wasps fly up to the holes, inspect them, and use the long ovipositor (what looks like a stinger) to deposit an egg in the hole. That egg will hatch and feed on the borer larvae, stopping it from doing damage to the tree. That's one of the checks to wood boring pests that Nature has.
ETA: The first wasp is a native North American species that has shown promise in parisitising the invasive Emerald Ash Borer. That's important because the big problem with non-native invasives is that native species don't recognize them as prey.
Here's what I've seen just in the past few weeks around my place:
Red-headed Ash Borer:
Banded Hickory Borer:
Red-Necked Cane Borer Beetle:
And these two last year:
Ivory Marked Borer:
Maple Callus Borer Moth:
And here a couple of parasitic wasps I've seen lately that target these type borers:
If you hang around and watch long enough you would probably see similar small wasps fly up to the holes, inspect them, and use the long ovipositor (what looks like a stinger) to deposit an egg in the hole. That egg will hatch and feed on the borer larvae, stopping it from doing damage to the tree. That's one of the checks to wood boring pests that Nature has.
ETA: The first wasp is a native North American species that has shown promise in parisitising the invasive Emerald Ash Borer. That's important because the big problem with non-native invasives is that native species don't recognize them as prey.
This post was edited on 4/25/24 at 8:30 pm
Posted on 4/26/24 at 6:57 am to LegendInMyMind
Cool info, thanks.
I had never seen this before. I passed by the tree on the lawn mower and a swarm of them hit me. So after I finished cutting I went to look at what they were. I thought they were blow flies because of the green metallic body. But I also had never seen that many blow flies congregate on a tree either so I was intrigued as to why I had a tree full of blow flies.
I had never seen this before. I passed by the tree on the lawn mower and a swarm of them hit me. So after I finished cutting I went to look at what they were. I thought they were blow flies because of the green metallic body. But I also had never seen that many blow flies congregate on a tree either so I was intrigued as to why I had a tree full of blow flies.
Posted on 4/26/24 at 7:20 am to lsujunky
Beetles or not, water oak are prone to rot and can be problematic near structures. Keep an eye on it.
Posted on 4/26/24 at 7:37 am to turkish
Oh I am I two of them and they are the last two trees to survive on the property. I need to find a tree farm that has some Shumard oaks that will do transplanting. I called Louisiana tree farm in Bunkie but they don't do transplanting and the lady said she didn't thing they had any Shumard.
Posted on 4/26/24 at 7:38 am to turkish
quote:
water oak are prone to rot
That's putting it nicely...
I've never seen a water oak that didn't rot from the center eventually--that's why the damn things have that name.
I can't stand water oaks. Not good for anything except harboring caterpillars, birds, and squirrels--and just about any other oak is good for that as well.
Posted on 4/26/24 at 9:10 am to Cowboyfan89
Life cycle of a live Oak: 100 years to grow, 100 years to live, and 100 years to die.
Life cycle of a water Oak: Grow for 75 years, fall on your house
Life cycle of a water Oak: Grow for 75 years, fall on your house
Posted on 4/26/24 at 11:55 am to lsujunky
Of course, there's a check for everything....even the wasps.
Taken out by a young pale green assasin bug:
Taken out by a young pale green assasin bug:
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