Establishing Baseline Information for the Risk of Flatheaded Borer Attack in Specialty Tree Crops Using Trapping and On-Farm Surveys

Abstract

Flatheaded borers (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) are largely xylophagous insects. Larvae of flatheaded borers tunnel into the trunks of trees, with boring and feeding damage eventually appearing on the surface as discolored bark, sunken areas, bark splits or bark sloughing. These insect pests pose a serious risk to specialty tree crops in Georgia, with economically important species such as Chrysobothris femorata (Olivier) damaging trees in various specialty crops. Despite this, studies on buprestids in Georgia are limited and none focus on their presence in specialty crop systems. In 2021 and 2022, a study was conducted to trap buprestids in fruit, pecan and ornamental nursery sites. A total of 79 and 119 buprestids were trapped in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, including specimens from the genera of Acmaeodera, Agrilaxia, Agrilus, Anthaxia, Brachys, Chrysobothris and Ptosima. Ten species of Chrysobothris were collected during the study. In 2023 and 2024, on-farm surveys were conducted to examine trees for signs of damage, with pecan trees showing more damage. The study indicates that flatheaded borers are widespread in Georgia specialty crops and growers should manage them where they are problematic in the early spring.