Adult banded ash borers have cylindrical, elongated bodies that range in length from 8–18 mm (0.3–0.7 inches) and taper towards the tip of the abdomen. Adults are greyish-black with lighter coloured hairs all over their bodies.
A yellow band runs down the leading edge of the thorax, just behind the head, and there are multiple. A yellow band runs along the front of the thorax, right behind the head, and there are several yellow bands across the wing covers.
The yellow bands on the wing covers’ leading-edge form a looping pattern that joins along the midline, whereas the other bands are wavy.
The golden banding pattern may also be seen on the abdomen’s underside. Some people may have ivory-coloured bands instead of yellow. The legs and antennae are a bright reddish-brown colour.
Host plants: Its hosts include elm, mesquite ash, hickory and occasionally white oak
Territory: The banded ash borer is found throughout eastern Canada and the majority of the United States.
Damage caused by Banded Ash Borer:
When adults emerge from cut logs inside homes, the damage may be mistaken with the emerald ash borer because larvae feed on phloem and sapwood under the bark and target primarily diseased or damaged trees. Unhealthy trees or individual branches may perish from ongoing infection.
Life history and Habits:
The banded ash borer has an egg, larval, pupal, and adult life cycle. In early spring, adults emerge from contaminated wood. Females deposit their eggs in bark fissures and crevices on decaying or recently deceased host trees. Newly born larvae feed beneath the bark before burrowing into the wood, where they will continue to provide until they pupate. The larval tubes are densely packed with sawdust-like frass (fecal matter). The banded ash borer can survive the winter as either developed larvae or pupae within the wood. Each year, there is usually only one generation. Developmental durations are likely lengthened in hardwood cut and seasoned for lumber or firewood when the moisture content of the wood decreases.
