Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald Ash Borer Facts

• The highly descriptive term of Emerald Ash Borer represents the most often used name for this stunning product of evolution. The creature does have several other general titles, though. These include the similar titles Ash borer, Emerald borer, and Green ash borer.
• Inside of various scientific circles, however, it’s perhaps much better known by its purely technical moniker. That’s a moderately pronounceable tag, at least from the perspective of a layperson. That’s because the invertebrate holds the official designation of Agrilus planipennis.
• This remarkable insect received that appellation due to the efforts of Léon Marc Herminie Fairmaire. The respected French entomologist accomplished the first recognition of it as a separate and distinct species. He achieved that scientifically noteworthy feat in the year 1888.
• Regrettably, this marvel of Nature’s now been spread far beyond its native range via the actions of mankind. In those locations, it’s now considered a highly invasive and highly destructive species. The first such confirmed instance of this occurred in North America, in 2002.
• Within its natural range, though, the Emerald Ash Borer seems to be continuing to maintain a thriving population base. That state also appears to hold true across that territory. Accordingly, the IUCN currently does not show it on its published Red List of Threatened Species.
• The beautiful Arthropod nonetheless still faces many potential threats to its continued existence as a species. Like all forms of life on earth today, most of those dangers stem from the actions of man. They include the related perils of habitat loss and ongoing climate change.

Related Articles

Emerald Ash Borer Physical Description

The amazing Emerald Ash Borer typically captivates those individuals lucky enough to encounter one of these natural wonders. This usually happens more due to its astounding appearance than its size, though. That’s due to the fact that, in this respect, it’s a fairly small variety of invertebrate.

The Arthropod also follows a pattern common among its numerous kindred in this area. That’s because it displays a certain degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism. In its specific case, however, this natural trait manifests itself via differences in both size and color.

Regarding those purely physical dimensions, females of the species typically attain somewhat greater measurements than their male counterparts. For them, an average length ranges from about 0.35 – 0.56 in (0.89 – 1.41 cm). Even exceptional examples rarely exceed this by very much.

Males of this vividly captivating creation of Nature, meanwhile, remain significantly smaller as a general principle. For those examples, a typical body length ranges from roughly 0.3 – 0.43 in (0.7 – 1.1 cm). Just as with the females, very few individuals grow much larger than this size.

In terms of overall body shape, however, both sexes present the same general pattern of evolutionary development. This characteristic consists of a highly elongated form. Yet, given the differences in their relative lengths, females usually have an even more extended one than males.

Without doubt, it’s the incredible color of the aptly-named Emerald Ash Borer that garners the most attention, though. That trait’s also the other attribute that distinguishes the two genders. The two sexes of this impressive animal typically present moderately different patterns of coloring.

Females of the eye-catching species generally tend to have a notably more vibrant metallic green coloration. The males, meanwhile, usually show a slightly duller green color. The abdomen additionally quite frequently displays a more pronounced metallic purplish-red hue.

But the physical differences between the sexes do not simply end there. Even the eyes of this remarkable invertebrate differ between the genders. Those of the female develop as both slightly smaller and less protruding. The eyes of the males, though, grow larger and more pronounced.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Coleoptera
• Family: Buprestidae
• Genus: Agrilus
• Species: A. planipennis

Emerald Ash Borer Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The breathtaking Emerald Ash Borer evolved as native to a comparatively broad expanse of the surface of the earth. That’s true since the insect developed as indigenous to northeastern Asia. It’s not currently known to science if it ever spread beyond that range on its own accord.

Within that natural territorial range, it makes its home in a wide variety of areas. In China, it’s known to be present in several provinces. It’s also confirmed to be extant in both North and South Korea. The countries of Russia and Japan also have known populations of the Arthropod.

As mentioned previously, though, the actions of mankind have now spread this marvel of Nature and biology to several non-native regions of the globe. In North America, it’s found in both the United States and Canada. In Europe, it’s also found in such locations as Poland and Sweden.

Like many of its numerous relatives around the world, this particular work of evolution also diplays simultaneously broad and specific preferences regarding its habitat. That’s because, while it inhabits a reasonably moderate variety of areas, all of these regions require the presence of ash trees.

This does, though, extend to several confirmed types of ash trees. It’s present inboth woodlands and riparian zones, in areas along rivers, streams, and wetlands where ash trees commonly abound. It’s also found in both natural and planted forests containing these specific types of this flora.

Yet, it’s not shy about living in urban areas, either. This degree of flexibility includes cities and towns with ash trees planted along streets, in parks, and residential areas. Ash tree plantations used for timber production or ornamental purposes also serve as home to the iridescent creature.

The amazing Emerald Ash Borer obviously evolved an extremely specific diet that’s closely tied to its host trees. The larvae feed on both the inner bark and the cambium layer of the tree. The adults, however, only feed on the foliage of the trees. There, they usually consume along the edges.

Mating generally occurs during the months of late spring to early summer. After completion, females lay eggs individually or in small groups in the crevices of ash tree bark, usually on the trunk and branches. Females lay an average of 60 – 90 oval, reddish-brown eggs in their lifetime.

Species Sharing Its Range

Check out our other articles on 5 Charming Connecticut Insects, Striped Dolphin, Victoria Falls, Powder Blue Damselfly, Knysna Seahorse, Axolotl, Orange Wattle, Philippine sailfin lizard