Abstract
The invasive goldspotted oak borer,
Agrilus auroguttatus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is threatening the health and survival of oak trees in San Diego County, California (Flint and others 2013). The primary oak species colonized and killed in this area include coast live oak (
Quercus agrifolia), California black oak (
Quercus kelloggii), and canyon live oak (
Quercus chrysolepis). The high amount of damage recorded on these hosts suggests that the association between
A. auroguttatus and these oaks is recent. Damage by
A. auroguttatus in its native range in Arizona to Emory oak (
Quercus emoryi) and silverleaf oak (
Quercus hypoleucoides), is much less severe (Coleman and others 2012), suggesting a longer co-evolutionary relationship. Preventive and suppressive chemical treatment techniques have not previously been tested for the control of
A. auroguttatus in California. Management activities have focused primarily on treatment of infested oak wood (Jones and others 2013). We report on a 3.5-year investigation of the efficacy of two systemic insecticides, emamectin benzoate (EB) and imidacloprid (IC), for controlling
A. auroguttatus in
Q. agrifolia, in San Diego County.
Parent Publication
Keywords
coast live oak,
emamectin benzoate,
goldspotted oak borer,
imidacloprid,
invasive pest,
systemic insecticide
Citation
Chen, Yigen; Flint, Mary L.; Coleman, Tom W.; Doccola, Joseph J.; Grosman, Donald M.; Wood, David L.; Seybold, Steven J. 2015. Effects of the goldspotted oak borer,
Agrilus auroguttatus, on the health of coast live oak,
Quercus agrifolia, in southern California before and after treatment with two systemic insecticides. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Purcell, Kathryn L., tech. cords. Proceedings of the seventh California oak symposium: managing oak woodlands in a dynamic world. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-251. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 345-347.
