NATIVE RANGE: North America

FIRST FINDING IN SLOVENIA: not yet found in Slovenia

PATHWAYS: trade with saplings and woord of host plants

POSSIBLE TO FIND: yearround

FLIGHT SEASON OF ADULTS: April – September

DESCRIPTION: Adults of this buprestrid beetle species are 5–13 mm long, metallic blue in colour, with two narrow pale lines running along their back. Their life cycle takes one to two years. The larvae are whitish to brown with two spines on the end of the abdomen and measure 18–24 mm in the last larval stage. Larvae construct galleries underneath tree bark which start out narrow and become broader in the later larval stages. Exit holes are 5 mm in diameter and have the shape of letter “D”.

HABITAT: Host trees include chestnuts (Castanea spp.) and oak species (Quercus spp.). The beetles can be found both in forests and in urban habitats.

STATUS: In Europe found in Turkey.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Other buprestid beetle species are similar in overall shape, but lack the two lines along their back. On the same host plant species, we may find larvae of similar buprestid beetles, for instance of the native oak splendour beetle (Agrilus biguttatus).

SOURCE: Field Guide to Invasive Alien Species in European Forests