Emerald ash borer and other invasives: The Colorado Experience Sentinel Plant Workshop July 17, 2019 Whitney Cranshaw Colorado State University Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a green- colored beetle……. …that develops in ash trees (Fraxinus species)… ……and is Native to Asia Larvae tunnel under the bark girdling the cambium. Photo by Edward Czerwinski Effects of larval tunneling are cumulative, and ultimately lethal to the tree. Most trees are dead within 5 years after the initial colonization. Photograph by MI Department of Agriculture Emerald ash borer was accidentally introduced into and has since spread through North America First NA detection 2002 Lilac/Ash Borer does not equal Emerald Ash Borer! Lilac/ash borer, a clearwing borer moth Emerald ash borer, a metallic wood borer/ flatheaded borer Emerald ash borer is a wood boring beetle inEmerald the family B ash borer Agrilus plannipennis Photograph by Debbie Miller Order Coleoptera (beetles) Family Buprestidae (metallic wood borers, flatheaded borers) Photograph by David Cappaert Emerald ash borer larvae create meandering tunnels in the cambium that produce girdling wounds. Note: Attacks can occur throughout the crown and on the trunk of the tree. Photograph by Eric Day EAB adults chew through the bark, producing D-shaped exit holes Damage potential to its host 10 – EAB now defines an aggressive tree killing insect in North America. Emerald ash borer is devastating to all species of ash that are native to North America Green ash White ash No EAB Resistance Why is EAB so destructive to ash trees in North America? NA ash species lack ability to ability to resist EAB No EAB Resistance Common question: How is this different from mountain pine beetle? MPB killed a lot of trees. Chestnut blight – Devastated American chestnut in early 1900s, caused by a fungus Dutch elm disease – Devastated American elm in mid century. Caused by a fungus, vectored by a bark beetle Colorado EAB Tree #1 Located near the intersection of 30th and Valmont, Boulder September 23, 2013 Known positive locations of emerald ash borer as of April, 2010 Area of original EAB infestation in Colorado Emerald ash borer was accidentally introduced into and has since spread through North America Boulder County Unlike states to the east, Colorado (and Wyoming) are compartmentalized by geography The current infestation is an infestation of the South Platte River drainage, not the State of Colorado Within the next five years, emerald ash borer will move out of Boulder into the surrounding counties Over time the South Platte River Drainage will be colonized by emerald ash borer ?? Fifth Anniversary! Emerald Ash Borer in Colorado Colorado EAB Tree #1 Located near the intersection of 30th and Valmont, Boulder September 23, 2013 Areas known to be infested with emerald ash borer in Boulder end of 2015 How does EAB spread? • Wind-blown dispersal of adults –Peak period of adult dispersal is late May through late July • Butt-heads that move wood containing developing stages Wind Direction from Boulder (with wind speed correction) May-August 2013-2015 S SSE SSW SE SW WS ESE W E W WN ENE W NE NW NN NNE W N Detection of EAB in Longmont (2016) Boulder EAB infestation Confirmed infestations of emerald ash borer presently occur in Boulder, Longmont, Gunbarrel, Lyons, Superior and Lafayette 2018 How far away is emerald ash borer from your community? How far away is emerald ash borer from your community? One truckload This is what the top of the page looks like at the Insect Information Website This is what the section on Emerald Ash Borer looks like in the Insect Information Website Detecting Emerald Ash Borer New Fact Sheet on the various wood borers found in regional ash trees Present publication on EAB look-alikes in Colorado. Available at the CO Insect Information Website Japanese Beetle Popillia japonica Japanese beetle damages plants in two distinct ways Japanese beetle adults chew on leaves and flowers of many plants Flowers are often a favored plant part targeted by adult Japanese beetles Japanese beetle larvae (grubs) – among the most damaging turfgrass insects in the US Japanese beetle affects yard/garden plants in two distinct ways White grubs prune the roots, producing drought stress symptoms Skunk digging damage associated with white grub infestations Adult beetles feed on both flowers and leaves of many ornamental plants as well as garden vegetables and herbs Skeletonizing injuries produced by Japanese beetle adults feeding on leaves Flowers are often a favored plant part targeted by adult Japanese beetles Issue of unusual concern with Japanese beetle Overlap of adult feeding on flowers – and use of those flowers by pollinators Uber-host Plants Favored by Japanese Beetle Adults in CO • Roses** • Linden* • Virginia Creeper* • Silver lace** Other Plants Commonly Grown in CO that are Highly Favored by Japanese Beetle Ornamentals Food Crops • Hollyhock* • Gaura** • Beans (green, edamame) • Rose-of-Sharon** • Basil • Crabapple • Raspberry* • Japanese maple • Grape • Peking cotoneaster • * JB populations overlap with flowering • ** JB populations overlap >alot< with flowering In Colorado Japanese beetle is present in two main areas in Colorado – and expanding range rapidly Japanese beetle traps are excellent for detecting presence of the insect in an area A massive effort was made in 2008 to delineate JB distribution in the Denver area 55 Within the Insect Information Website is a subsection that contains materials related to Japanese Beetle Thousand Cankers Disease of Walnut Caused by the effects of two organisms - bark beetle and a fungus Geosmithia morbida Pityophthorus juglandis Steve LaValley Walnut Twig Beetle Pityophthorous juglandis Steve LeValley, Oregon Dept. Agriculture The fungal partner – Geosmithia morbida Growth of the fungus beyond the inoculation site creates a dead region (canker) in the cambium. September 2008 June 2008 June 2009 Brush was a 2017 range extension record Red arrows –“Hot Spots” Black arrows – Eastern Range Extension records Thousand Cankers Status in 2017 The last black walnut in Fort Collins. It was cut June 23 Nuisance Invaders “Bugs” that enter and homes but do not reproduce within a home Damage produced – essentially only that they are in a building New State Record (2017) Elm Seed Bug Arcocatus melanocephalus A significant new nuisance invader of homes in summer Adult Nymph Photo by Ryan Davis Fecal Photo by Ryan Davis, Utah State University spotting Develops on seeds of elm No harm to trees Moves into buildings in summer, early autumn Nuisance issues, some associated odor Colorado’s Newest Mud Dauber! Sceliphron curvatum Photo by Eric R. Eaton Present records from El Paso, Denver, Larimer and Mesa Counties Black and Yellow Mud Dauber Black and Yellow Mud Dauber (Sceliphron caementarium) Nest (top left), crab spider prey cache (top right), larva feeding on spider prey (below left) and cocoons of pupae (below right) . Photographs courtesy of Ken Gray Collection, Oregon State University Adult collecting mud for nest cells (Mesa County) Nest cells around windows (Denver County) Photo credit: Fireundertheice BugGuide (Mesa County) Photos by Betty Cahill Adult on nest cell Full-grown larva Spider prey extracted from one nest cell [email protected] Colorado’s Newest Mud Dauber! Sceliphron curvatum Photo by Eric R. Eaton We would like to hear about other records of this insect! A regional guide for diagnostics Latest revision of Bulletin 506A Cost: $40 Available through the CSU University Resource Center .