Populus
Guides
Plectrodera scalator
Cottonwood Borer
Plectrodera scalator, commonly known as the Cottonwood Borer, is a large and striking longhorned beetle (Cerambycidae) native to North America. It is the sole species in the genus Plectrodera. Adults are immediately recognizable by their robust body and distinctive checkered pattern of dense white pubescence on a glossy black background. The species is strongly associated with cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and other Populus species, where adults are most frequently encountered. Despite being described as common in the Great Plains, direct observations remain relatively infrequent, possibly due to cryptic behavior against foliage backgrounds.
Poecilonota cyanipes
eastern poplar buprestid, eastern poplar jewel beetle
Poecilonota cyanipes is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as the eastern poplar buprestid or eastern poplar jewel beetle. The species is found throughout North America east of the Rocky Mountains. Adults are associated exclusively with Populus and Salix species, where larvae develop in dead or dying branches. The specific epithet 'cyanipes' refers to the blue coloration of the feet. Despite being described as the best-known and most commonly collected American species of Poecilonota, field encounters can be infrequent and unpredictable, with abundance varying significantly based on timing and host plant condition.
Populicerus formosus
Populicerus formosus is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Eurymelinae. It is associated with Populus (poplar/cottonwood) host plants, as indicated by its genus name. The species has been documented across western North America from Alaska to Arizona.
Populicerus gillettei
Populicerus gillettei is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Eurymelinae, described by Hamilton in 1980. It belongs to a genus associated with Populus (poplar and aspen) host plants. The species has been recorded across northern North America from New Hampshire to Alberta.
Populicerus pallidus
Populicerus pallidus is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Eurymelinae. It was described by Fitch in 1851. The species is associated with poplar (Populus) hosts, as indicated by its genus name. It is found in western North America from Canada through the western United States.
Pseudexentera oregonana
aspen leafroller
Pseudexentera oregonana is a tortricid moth commonly known as the aspen leafroller. It is recognized as an economic defoliator of aspen (Populus). The female sex pheromone has been chemically characterized, with Z8-14:Ac identified as the principal attractive component. The species exhibits reproductive isolation through species-specific pheromone communication.
Pterocomma
Willow Bark Aphids
Pterocomma is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae, commonly known as willow bark aphids. Species in this genus are phloem-feeding insects primarily associated with woody host plants in the genus Salix (willows) and Populus (poplars). The genus exhibits a specialized ecological relationship with ants, which frequently tend colonies and mediate dispersal between host plants. Pterocomma species harbor the obligate bacterial endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola, which provides essential amino acids necessary for survival on their nutrient-poor phloem sap diet.
Saperda calcarata
Poplar Borer
Saperda calcarata, commonly known as the poplar borer, is a longhorned beetle (Cerambycidae) first described by Thomas Say in 1824. The species is native to North America, occurring in Canada and the United States. Larvae are significant pests of balsam poplar and related Populus species, tunneling at the junction of the root and stem where they cause structural damage that can girdle and kill trees. The species exhibits a two-year life cycle in western Canada and possesses a recognized variety, Saperda calcarata var. adspersa, distinguished by coloration differences between sexes.
Saperda populnea
small poplar borer
Saperda populnea is a longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) that forms distinctive woody galls on twigs of poplars and willows. The species was described by Linnaeus in 1758 and has a broad distribution across the Northern Hemisphere. Females create characteristic horseshoe-shaped cuts on host twigs where eggs are deposited, leading to gall formation. The beetle is of economic concern in hybrid aspen plantations due to damage to young trees.
Stigmella populetorum
Stigmella populetorum is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Nepticulidae, with a wingspan of approximately 5 mm. It occurs across North America from Texas and Ohio to California, with additional records in Ontario and British Columbia. The species completes two to three generations annually, with adults active from late June through September and larval activity observed in mid-June and August.
Tremulicerus
Tremulicerus is a genus of leafhoppers (family Cicadellidae) described by Dlabola in 1974. The genus belongs to the subfamily Eurymelinae and tribe Idiocerini. Two species are recognized: T. distinguendus and T. fulgidus. Records indicate presence in Europe, North America, and New Zealand.
Trypophloeus
Trypophloeus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, containing approximately 12 species distributed across North America, Europe, and Asia. The genus is primarily associated with Salicaceae hosts, particularly Populus and Salix species. Trypophloeus populi has gained recent attention as the causative agent of sudden aspen decline in North America. Several species are significant forest pests, with T. klimeschi causing extensive damage to shelter forests in northwest China and T. binodulus affecting poplar plantations in Spain.