Phloem-borer
Guides
Agrilus auroguttatus
Goldspotted Oak Borer
Agrilus auroguttatus, the goldspotted oak borer, is a jewel beetle native to southeastern Arizona that became invasive in southern California around 2004. In California, it has caused extensive mortality in oak forests, killing an estimated 80,000 trees, primarily affecting red oaks. The species exhibits significantly higher population densities in its invasive range compared to its native range, where it coexists with a more diverse community of native borers. It was previously treated as a subspecies of Agrilus coxalis but is now recognized as a distinct species.
Phoracantha
Eucalyptus Longhorn Beetles
Phoracantha is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) comprising approximately 40 species, native to Australia and New Guinea. The genus was revised by Wang (1995), who synonymized Tryphocaria with Phoracantha and described nine new species. Species in this genus are primarily associated with Eucalyptus trees, with several species—particularly P. semipunctata and P. recurva—having achieved global distribution as invasive pests following introduction to regions where eucalypts have been planted. These beetles colonize the phloem of host trees and can cause significant mortality, especially during drought conditions when tree defenses are compromised.