Dogwood Twig Borer
Larva-When fully grown, the larva is yellowish, legless, and about 19 mm long.
Host Plants -Elm, viburnum, azalea, and many fruit trees may be attacked by the dogwood twig borer, though its principal host is the flowering dogwood.
Damage -Wilting leaves on individual twigs or drooping girdled tips usually indicate infestation by this borer.
Life History -The dogwood twig borer is the larval stage of a small, long-horned beetle. It is also known as the elm twig girdler. Seldom appearing in large numbers, adults emerge in early summer. After girdling the tip of a twig, the female deposits her eggs singly in its bark crevices. When an egg hatches, the larva tunnels along the center of the twig, making a series of closely placed holes to remove the boring dust. Portions of the hollowed branch may be internally separated from the plant as the larva moves into the green wood. The winter is usually passed in the pupal stage inside the tunnel.
After wilting occurs in the spring, the twig should be clipped off several inches below the girdled or infested portion and destroyed.