2. Emerald Ash Borer ( Agrilus planipennis )

Photo/cartoon depicting the adult, larvae, and damage of the EAB ( Agrilus planipennis ).

Once again no actual experience with these. Although I've heard of them before. If I had any sort of experience I'd be rambling like crazy. I can tell you though that there's alot of info on these and how to get rid of these pests. Oh yeah and they invaded New York too. Oh joy!

Yup they're on the "Annoying Little Buggers That Must Die List" according to people who have dealt with them. As for me I've never even seen one except pictures.

And as to quote on what AOL says about them and why they're on ALPTMDL:

What they threaten: Wooden furniture manufacturers, lumber companies and at least one famous baseball bat company.

Modus operandi: This metallic-green, beautiful-but-devastating insect is attempting to destroy 7.5 billion ash trees in the United States. They were first discovered in Michigan in 2002. How they got here is anyone's guess, but most international insects travel to America for a better life as stowaways in luggage or on humans traveling on planes, or they burrow in cargo on ships or in packages sent through the mail.

The emerald ash borer is now found in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Maryland. Pennsylvania's trees, meanwhile, are the source for the Major League Baseball bats manufactured by the famed company Louisville Slugger, and the state has been girding itself for the emerald ash borer's arrival but has so far kept them at bay.

Fun fact: Minnesota is introducing stingless wasps into the state to combat the emerald ash borer.

- AOL Small Business

Bloody fascinating. I wonder how the stingless wasps will annihilate the EAB's? There's also a list of PDF's containing info on them here. Not to mention that the whole site is dedicated to research on these. Nice. Now I'd like something on their life cycle.

Wikipedia gives a very brief description of said life cycle. I like details but I'll take what I can get. I'll do deeper digging on said life cycle later.

For there's this little brief number on it:

The adult emerald ash borer emerges in May-July and the female lays numerous eggs in bark crevaces and between layers of bark.

The eggs hatch in 7-10 days and larvae bore into the tree where they chew the inner bark and phloem creating winding galleries as they feed. This cuts off the flow of the water and nutrients in the tree, causing dieback and death.

- Wikipedia

As always do extra research. Said article also list a number of references but as always you can't be too sure with regards to Wikipedia.

Eh I think I'm done for now on this. Peace out!