Distribution and structural infestations by the old and new house borers (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in California and the USA

Siavash Taravati

doi:10.37486/2675-1305.ec08030

Authors

Siavash Taravati UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Riverside County, Riverside, CA, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6540-0499

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37486/2675-1305.ec08030

Keywords:

wood-destroying organism, Hylotrupes bajulus, Arhopalus productus

Abstract

Despite being a well-known species in the Eastern United States and Europe, the old house borer [Hylotrupes bajulus (L., 1758) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)] has not been reported from the West Coast yet. The idea of its presence on the West Coast may be a myth, likely influenced by some American pest control textbooks that cover this species. On the other hand, the new house borer [Arhopalus productus (LeConte, 1850) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)] has been reported infesting lumber and dying trees on and west of the Rocky Mountain range for many years. This species maybe underreported and understudied by entomologists and pest control experts. In this article, I will review the biology and distribution of the two species, their morphological differences, and provide new scientific information on a new case study describing the behavior and structural damage caused by A. productus in Southern California.

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