Occurrence of flatheaded borers in Georgia specialty tree crops

Sunday, November 13, 2022

3:25 PM – 3:45 PM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 214

Presenting Author(s)

Zia Valerie Williamson (she/her/hers)

PhD Student
University of Georgia
Lincolnton, Georgia

Co-Author(s)

AA

Angelita L. Acebes-Doria (she/her/hers)

Research Biologist
DKI US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center
Hilo, Hawaii

Co-Author(s)

Shimat V. Joseph, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
University of Georgia
Griffin, Georgia

Co-Author(s)

Brett R. Blaauw

Associate Professor
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

Flatheaded borers (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) are devastating pests of ornamentals, pecan, and tree fruit production. These insect pests pose a serious risk to specialty tree crops in Georgia, with Chrysobothris species, such as Chrysobothris femorata (Olivier), damaging various tree species. Despite this, studies relating to buprestids in Georgia are limited, with no existing studies focusing on their presence in specialty crop systems.Thus, two projects were conducted in 2021 and 2022 to explore their role in Georgia specialty tree crops. On-site trapping of buprestids in specialty crop systems show that a wide range of species and genera are present, with flight occurring from early March to mid-June.