Ash Borer
Encyclopedia
The Ash Borer aka Lilac Borer, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. It is found throughout the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The ash borer is an example of Batesian mimicry
, and is a serious pest of various trees of the olive family.
(Polistes fuscatus). When a potential predator encounters the Ash Borer, it may refrain from conflict mistakenly thinking that it may be stung. Thus the Ash Borer benefits from the similarity of its appearance to a more dangerous foe, making it a Batesian mimic
of the wasp.
The Ash Borer is distinguished from the wasp in that it is somewhat larger, growing to a length of ¾ to 1½ inches, is amber-colored in addition to black and yellow, and lacks a stinger.
e feed on European Ash
(Fraxinus excelsior), lilac
, privet
and mountain ash. The larvae destroy the tree's phloem
, cutting off the supply of nutrients to the roots, weakening and possibly killing the tree. The tunnels dug by the larvae appear as dark wormholes in lumber harvested from infected trees, reducing its value.
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
, and is a serious pest of various trees of the olive family.
Appearance
The black and yellow bands, prominent antennae and hind legs, and overall body shape of the Ash Borer resemble those of the paper waspPaper wasp
Paper wasps are -long wasps that gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems, which they mix with saliva, and use to construct water-resistant nests made of gray or brown papery material...
(Polistes fuscatus). When a potential predator encounters the Ash Borer, it may refrain from conflict mistakenly thinking that it may be stung. Thus the Ash Borer benefits from the similarity of its appearance to a more dangerous foe, making it a Batesian mimic
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
of the wasp.
The Ash Borer is distinguished from the wasp in that it is somewhat larger, growing to a length of ¾ to 1½ inches, is amber-colored in addition to black and yellow, and lacks a stinger.
Significance
Ash Borer larvaLarva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e feed on European Ash
European Ash
Fraxinus excelsior , is a species of Fraxinus native to most of Europe with the exception of northern Scandinavia and southern Iberia, and also southwestern Asia from northern Turkey east to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains...
(Fraxinus excelsior), lilac
Lilac
Syringa is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering woody plants in the olive family , native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and widely and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere....
, privet
Privet
Privet was originally the name for the European semi-evergreen shrub Ligustrum vulgare, and later also for the more reliably evergreen Ligustrum ovalifolium , used extensively for privacy hedging. It is often suggested that the name privet is related to private, but the OED states that there is no...
and mountain ash. The larvae destroy the tree's phloem
Phloem
In vascular plants, phloem is the living tissue that carries organic nutrients , in particular, glucose, a sugar, to all parts of the plant where needed. In trees, the phloem is the innermost layer of the bark, hence the name, derived from the Greek word "bark"...
, cutting off the supply of nutrients to the roots, weakening and possibly killing the tree. The tunnels dug by the larvae appear as dark wormholes in lumber harvested from infected trees, reducing its value.
Prevention
About two weeks prior to reproducing, Ash Borers attract mates by releasing sex pheromones. This mating activity can be detected by the use of pheromone traps containing (Z,Z)-3,13-octadecadien-1-ol acetate (ODDA). Once Ash Borers are detected in the traps, insecticide can be placed on a tree to protect it from egg laying Ash Borers.External links
- http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/ashborer.shtml
- http://www.mygardenguide.com/pests/Clearwing%20borers.pdf