The Mediterranean oak borer is the latest invasive insect to be labeled a growing threat to oak trees in North America, KDRV reported.
The Oregon Department of Forestry has issued a warning that the insect, which originated in Europe and the Middle East, has been found in multiple Oregon white oaks. The insect transmits a fungal species to the trees it invades. The fungus can cause oak wilt, a disease that can kill an oak tree in under three years.
The Mediterranean oak borer was first discovered in North America in 2017 in California, where it has wreaked havoc on native oak trees. It is also credited with damaging elm, maple and walnut trees in Europe.
Landowners who notice signs and symptoms of the Mediterranean oak borer (MOB), which are tiny, reddish-brown beetles that emit pale boring dust on the trunks of trees, are encouraged to report findings here.
