''Neoclytus acuminatus'', the red-headed ash borer, is a common North American
species in the
longhorn beetle family (Cerambycidae).
Description and ecology
Red-headed ash borers typically reach adult length, have long
antennae which are thickened towards the tips, and have the rear and middle pairs of legs elongated. The reddish-brown coloration with four bands of contrasting yellow stripes and the general body shape
mimics wasps, which is a common survival tactic among cerambycids.
Adults emerge from infested trees in early spring, typically
ash
Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...
,
hickory
Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mexi ...
and
oak, but also use other
hardwood
Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...
s and sometimes
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s and woody
vines. The
larvae feed on the sapwood of dead trees, with several generations possible over the summer before
overwintering again, probably in the
pupal stage.
Significance
The red-headed ash borer usually develops in recently dead or dying hardwood trees, so the most common impact on humans is damage to felled trees intended for hardwood
lumber or
firewood
Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellets or chips. Firewood can ...
. These insects are commonly brought into homes with firewood and may emerge, but do no physical damage to the home. This species has been known to infest weak or newly planted living trees and is a pest of
nursery stock in some areas. The feeding of the larvae may cut off sap flow, and in some cases weaken the trunk of young trees making them more susceptible to wind damage.
In natural settings, red-headed ash borers contribute to healthy forests by hastening the
decomposition of dead and dying timber, making more
nutrient
A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...
s and space available for healthy plants.
References
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External links
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q309776
Neoclytus
Beetles described in 1775
Beetles of North America
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius