The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) has spread into Ontario and Quebec. (Photo credit: David Cappaert, Michigan State University)
New research shows that the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle from Asia which has killed millions of ash trees in Canada, can also attack the white fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus). This small shrub, while native to the southeastern United States, is planted ornamentally in Ontario and Quebec.
Researchers have found that white fringetrees in three cities in Ohio showed external symptoms of an emerald ash borers attack, and live larvae were found feeding in one tree. These findings provide evidence that of the use of an alternate tree hosts may sustain the presence of emerald ash borers in North America.
Original research paper published in the Journal of Economic Entomology on January 15, 2014.
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