Saperda

Fabricius, 1775

flat-faced longhorn beetles

Species Guides

16

Saperda is a of flat-faced longhorn beetles in the Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, erected by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. in this genus are wood-boring beetles whose larvae develop in living or stressed trees, particularly poplars, willows, and other broadleaf . Several species are economically significant pests of plantation trees and fruit crops. The genus has a Holarctic distribution with highest diversity in the Palearctic region.

Saperda vestita by (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zachary Dankowicz. Used under a CC-BY license.Saperda tridentata by (c) Justin Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Justin Williams. Used under a CC-BY license.Saperda tridentata by (c) Nick Block, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nick Block. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Saperda: /sæˈpɛrdə/

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Distribution

Holarctic distribution, with records from Europe (including Scandinavia), Asia (Turkey, Himalayan region), and North America (Canada and United States). Specific distribution varies by : Saperda populnea occurs across Europe wherever aspen grows, with lowest in northern Sweden; Saperda candida is distributed in eastern North America from Canada (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan) to the United States (Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, West Virginia); Saperda lateralis occurs across eastern North America with a distinctive S. lateralis rileyi described from the lower Mississippi Delta Region.

Human Relevance

Several Saperda are economically significant pests. Saperda populnea is of particular economic importance in hybrid aspen plantations in Sweden, requiring years of treatment to control. Saperda candida (rounded headed apple tree borer) is a major pest of trees in the rose including apples, pears, crabapples, and hawthorn. Saperda lateralis (red-edged saperda) attacks stressed landscape trees including maples, hickories, elms, basswoods, and oaks. Control methods have included chemical spraying with Gesarol-50 and brushing larval galleries with linseed oil. efforts have explored breeding such as Ephialtes abbreviatus for management.

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