Girdler
Guides
Agrilus cuprescens
Rose Stem Girdler, Bronze Cane Borer
Agrilus cuprescens is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as the rose stem girdler or bronze cane borer. Native to the Palearctic region, it has been introduced to North America where it has been documented as far west as Washington State. The species is associated with Rosa species and related Rosaceae as larval hosts, with larvae developing in stems and exhibiting girdling behavior. It serves as host for the parasitoid wasp Baryscapus rugglesi.
Heilipus squamosus
Avocado Weevil, Avocado Tree Girdler
Heilipus squamosus is a large weevil native to the southeastern United States and the sole species of its genus occurring in North America. It gained notoriety as the "avocado tree girdler," causing significant economic damage to Florida avocado groves from the late 1930s through the 1950s, with larval feeding resulting in 8-10% tree mortality. The species was historically considered rare outside avocado-producing regions, but 21st-century citizen science observations have expanded its known range from eight to fifteen states. Long confused with the French Guiana species H. apiatus due to an erroneous distribution in the original 1807 description, this nomenclatural issue was clarified in 2022.
Mecas marginella
Mecas marginella is a species of longhorn beetle (family Cerambycidae) first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1873. It is native to the United States and belongs to a genus whose members are commonly known as girdlers due to their habit of girdling plant stems. Like other Mecas species, it likely develops as a stem- and root-borer in host plants, though specific details for this species remain poorly documented.