Banded Ash Clearwing Moth Borer (Podosesia aureocincta)
GDD Window (base 50): 306-1370
Overview:
- Adults emerge in late summer (late-August to early September)
- Adults are ½” to 1″ clearwing moths with a brownish-black body, translucent wings, violet-brownish forewings, and a narrow, bright orange-yellow band on the fourth abdominal segment
- Larvae are pale yellow and bore into ash trees, creating galleries and tunnels
- Larvae overwinter in the tree and resume feeding in the spring, pupating near the end of the burrows
- One generation per year
- Causes upper crown thinning
- “staghorn” type appearance of the tree canopy
- Multiple dead branches may be seen sticking out above the leaf canopy
- Emergence holes are oval-shaped and about ¼” in diameter, concentrated within the lower main trunk of the trees with fewer being found in the scaffold branches
- Tunneling larvae will expel sawdust-like frass from trunk openings they maintain, which can then be found down the trunk and accumulating at the bottom of the tree
- Pupal skins may be seen extruding from the trunk
- Damage can take years or decades to kill a tree
- Host plants: Ash (specifically green ash and white ash)
Management:
Cultural Practices:
- Natural predators: entomopathogenic nematodes, parasitoids, woodpeckers
- Reduce plant stress
- Prune out infested limbs
- Minimize bark damage
- Apply tree wraps carefully to avoid trapping moisture
- Kaolin clay and cedar chips can deter moths from laying eggs
- Use pheromone traps to monitor for males
Materials:
- Contact insecticides:
- Pyrethroids [3A]: -thrins
- Systemic insecticides:
- Neonicotinoids [4A]: dinotefuran (immediately prior to egg hatch)
- Avermectins [6]: Emamectin benzoate
- Considerations:
- Can harm non-target species
Biorationals:
- Azadirachtin [UN]
- Spinosyns [5]: spinosad
Disclaimer – Materials do not cover all possible control scenarios and are intended for licensed professionals. Tradenames do not imply endorsement and are used as examples. You must strictly follow the label for each compound prior to use. Rutgers is not responsible form is used materials or damages thereof. The label is the law. Labels will provide detailed information on use and restrictions. Additionally, application intervals, compatibility, surfactant use, PHI, PPE, important and other key information is described in detail. Always discuss treatments with your local agents. Note: Neonicotinoids can only be legally applied in commercial agriculture settings by licensed applicators. Guidelines and recommendations made in this presentation are specific to the state of New Jersey.