Wood eating beetles do exactly as their name describes they eat away at the river birch betula nigra leaving behind a damaged and unhealthy tree.
River birch tree borers.
River birch is a popular fast growing native tree for the home landscape.
The four wood boring insects mentioned below attack a wide range of trees.
The bronze birch borer is the most threatening pest of ornamental birch especially white barked varieties and trees under stress.
The bronze birch borer typically attacks trees which are already stressed or in decline.
In later stages of infestation the trunk will show d shaped rust stained exit holes.
But as a landscape tree it can be planted almost anywhere in the u s.
A birch infested with bronze birch borer will start showing dieback in the crown increasing in severity as the infestation continues often leading to death of the tree.
Attractive salmon pink to reddish brown bark exfoliates to reveal lighter inner bark.
Below learn how to identify tree borers and get info on treatment.
The species is valued for its relatively rapid growth tolerance of wetness and some drought unique curling bark spreading limbs and relative resistance to birch borer.
The river birch has not yet reached the popularity of many maples and oaks but it is well on its way.
Usually native borers like the bronze birch borer seek out trees that are already stressed i e by drought disease or maybe a pruning injury.
But healthy trees aren t off.
This species is resistant to bronze birch borer bbb.