Roundheaded appletree borer

Roundheaded appletree borer, Saperda candida Fabricius very common borer found in the eastern region of the united states New york, New Jersey, Connecticut.

Roundheaded appletree borer larva, a fleshy, cream-colored, legless grub, is about 1/8 inch long upon hatching and 1 inch when fully grown; it actually reaches nearly twice this length during its development, but a considerable shortening occurs just prior to pupation. It has a dark brown head and blackish mandibles. The first thoracic segment is broader than the rest of the body, with a patch of brownish tubercles on the dorsal surface.

Roundheaded borers are found in weakened, dying, and dead trees. In addition, they feed on felled trees, stumps, and cut firewood. A number of species can also be found on healthy trees. Roundheaded borers feed under the bark and in the sapwood of trees. Adults often emerge from firewood that is brought into the house and may cause concern.

Life Cycle:Larvae are creamy white and legless . Their bodies are widest immediately behind the head and taper gradually to the end of the abdomen. After hatching from eggs deposited on the bark, larvae bore into the sapwood and heartwood of the tree. Their tunnels are oval and often packed with coarse, saw dust like excrement or shavings.

Before pupation, a mature borer creates a chamber just beneath the bark and plugs it with wood shavings. Upon emergence, the new adult chews an oval exit hole through the bark. Most roundheaded borers have a one-year life cycle, but some species may take several years to complete a generation.

Damage: Roundheaded borers feed under the bark and in the sapwood of trees. They bore long holes as they feed and weaken and destroy the wood. Infested trees are often rendered unusable for commercial purposes. A number of species in this family attack live, healthy trees, including locust borer, dogwood twig borer, azalea stem borer, sugar maple borer, red oak borer, white oak borer, and the round-headed apple tree borer. The pine sawyer feeds on weakened and stressed live trees.

Management: Trees and shrubs that are properly irrigated, fertilized, mulched, and pruned are less susceptible to attack from both borers. Remove any dead wood from trees and shrubs because this provides potential entry sites for the borers. Additionally, avoid storing freshly cut wood near plants, as adult beetles that emerge can attack nearby trees and shrubs. A commercially available horticultural wrap of paper or burlap may be useful in protecting young trees and shrubs. In nurseries, removing grassy and broadleaf weeds by mowing or using a postemergent herbicide may reduce problems.

Control: Nonchemical preventive measures include removing infested mountain ash, crabapple, hawthorn, shadbush and cotoneaster within at least 100 feet of apple trees. Remove vegetation or winter vole guards that shield the lower trunk from sunlight. Apply a 50:50 mixture of white latex (not acrylic) paint and water as a thick whitewash to the lower trunk. The whitewash deters egg laying, and makes it easier to see frass from infestations that do occur.

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