The oak splendor beetle is one of the most annoying pests. This pesky insect, known for its destructive tendencies, poses a significant threat to oak trees. Let’s delve into the world of the Oak Splendor Beetle, exploring its characteristics, behavior, and most importantly, how to combat its infestation.
Scientific name: Agrilus biguttatus
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Buprestidae
Genus: Agrilus
Oak splendor beetle identification
The oak splendor beetle is a species of jewel beetle that belongs to the family Buprestidae. This insect is also called by different names like oak buprestid beetle or two-spotted oak borer. There are more than 3000 oak splendor beetle species all over the world.
These beetles have a stunning look, with a metallic green color, sometimes with a black or yellowish tint. They have a slim body, measuring about 8 to 13 millimeters long, and each wing cover has a distinct white mark near the inner edge. Their larvae are creamy white and can be up to 43 millimeters long. They have no legs and own a pair of horns on their last abdominal segment. Their first thoracic segment is enlarged.
Habitat
The oak splendor beetle lives in Europe (from southern England to the north), Siberia, the Middle East, and northern Africa. It hasn’t been seen in North America.
Diet
This shiny beetle is a big problem for oak forests in Europe and Russia. This pest eats away at living or just-dead trees, like pine and oak. Sometimes it even goes after chestnut and beech trees. The young ones, called larvae, munch on the tree’s cambium, making twisty tunnels filled with their waste. This damages the tree, blocking the flow of water and nutrients, making the leaves turn yellow or droop. You might also notice sawdust-like crumbs and sap seeping out. This usually leads to parts of the tree dying, new branches growing, the top of the tree becoming thinner, and eventually, the tree dying.
How to deal with oak splendor beetle
To tackle splendor beetle problems effectively and save money, it’s crucial to act fast when you spot them. The best time to check for these pests is between May and August when they’re most active. Keep an eye out for any signs of damage to trees and the bugs themselves at any stage of their life cycle.
You can look for clues like tunnels made by larvae under the bark, exit holes shaped like the letter “D,” cracks in the bark, and trees losing their leaves. If you see these signs, peel back the bark and inspect for zigzag tunnels made by the hungry larvae.
To lower the risk of oak splendor beetle infestations, you can take some simple steps. First, remove and dispose of any bark or wood that’s infested. Second, keep your trees healthy by watering, fertilizing, and pruning them properly. Third, use their natural predators like woodpeckers for older beetle juveniles. Wasps are also an option, these species lay eggs near the beetle larvae under the bark, providing food for the wasp larvae once they hatch.
Keep in mind that the oak splendor beetle tends to appear when certain conditions are present. Things like hot, dry summers, damage from other bugs, extreme weather, and bad conditions for oaks all contribute. So, dealing with these issues can also lower the chance of oak splendor beetle infestations.
Life cycle
The splendor beetle usually reproduces once every two years, though, in warmer places, it might only take a year. Adults come out between May and August and munch on the leaves at the top of the tree. During this time, the females lay groups of 5-6 eggs in cracks in the bark. They like to lay eggs on the sunny side of big oak trees, which are around 11 to 15 inches thick. After 1 – 2 weeks, the larvae hatch, eat the inside of the tree, and make tunnels under the bark. As they eat, they grow through five stages called instars.
The beetle then starts the pupal stage. Pupation happens under the bark, and they can spend the winter in both larval and pupal stages. When it’s time, usually between May and June, adult oak splendor beetles come out, they leave behind D-shaped holes about 3 to 4mm wide. The lifespan of an adult beetle is around 2 months, but some can live up to 5 months.
