A new beetle, Agrilus smaragdifrons, has been discovered in Allen County, Indiana. This insect feeds only on the Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), an invasive species common across the state. The beetle is related to the Emerald Ash Borer but can be recognized by its golden-red head and thorax and green to black-green wings.
Researchers from Purdue University and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are tracking its spread. If you see D-shaped exit holes in Tree-of-Heaven bark or notice adult beetles feeding on leaves in late summer, you’re asked to report your sighting through Indiana’s pest reporting system…