Painted Hickory Borer – Megacyllene caryae

Painted Hickory Borer (Megacyllene caryae) Latin Name: Megacyllene caryae Common Name: Painted Hickory Borer or hickory borer Appearance: The Painted Hickory Borer (Megacyllene caryae), which belongs to the Cerambycidae family, is one of the most mistaken beetles in its area (more about this later).

• The larvae of the locust borer can attack black locust trees, while the adults can be found on goldenrod in September until the first deadly frost.
• The painted hickory borer is an aggressive beetle that lives in the spring and early summer and, despite its name, may infest a wide range of dead tree trunks, including maple and oak.
• The larvae are commonly carried in with the wood when these trees are chopped for fuel, and the warmth promotes pupal development and early emergence of the beetles.
• The adult beetles are about an inch long and have yellow stripes and chevrons running across their backs.

Host plants: The main host trees for this species are hickories and pecans in the family Carya however they may also be seen emerging from hackberry trees in the genus Celtis. Territory: These borers are found throughout the eastern United States. Damage caused by Painted Hickory Borer: Large holes have eaten through the bark, and buildups of drilling dust surrounding these holes are signs of an assault. This species infests freshly cut firewood, and adults can emerge from wood brought into a residence over the winter. However, homeowners need not be frightened since these insects are pretty safe. Life history and Habits: Females deposit their eggs in extremely weakened hickories or have recently fallen. Under bark scales or fractures in the bark of weaker trees or recently cut logs, eggs are placed in clusters of up to 50. Larvae hatch and eat deeper in the inner bark and sapwood as they mature. A larva eats a chamber in the sapwood where it will pupate and overwinter after 10-12 weeks of feeding. Although the painted hickory borer favors hickory, it may also infest black walnut, hackberry, grape, osage-orange, and ash trees.