Purdue Extension 4-H/FFA Career Development Event (CDE) | FFA | Purdue | entomology | CDE | insect | insect orders | flashcards

Emerald Ash Borer
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: Emerald Ash Borer

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Buprestidae

Pest Status: Emerald ash borers are a very serious, introduced pest that kills ash trees.

Appearance: Adults are flat-headed and bullet-shaped beetles with large black eyes. The adult's body is dark metallic green, 1/2-inch in length, and 1/8-inch wide.

Life Cycle: Adults emerge in early to mid-summer. Females begin laying eggs about two weeks after emergence. Eggs hatch in one to two weeks. The larvae bore through the bark of ash trees and feed for several weeks, leaving characteristic, S-shaped tunnels. This kills the tree. Pupation occurs in the spring. Emerald ash borers leave a D-shaped exit hole in the bark when they emerge in the spring. Emerald ash borers often are artificially spread by people who unwittingly move firewood that contains borers from infested areas to un-infested areas.

Where to Collect: Collect ash borers from ash trees in infested areas.