Question: I occasionally run across a dead branch on some of my mesquite trees. The dead branch sticks out like a sore thumb, and on closer inspection, there is a ring around the branch etched into the bark. The foliage in front of the ring is dead, but behind everything appears fine. First, do you know what causes this? Second, should I be concerned. And third, should I be preventing this and how? Right now, all I do is prune the branch out.
Answer: The ring etched in the bark is the work of the mesquite twig girdler (Oncideres rhodosticta). This beetle is in the family Cerambycidae that are commonly referred to as long-horned beetles due to their long antennae. The adults aren’t commonly seen on the trees although they are attracted to lights at night if you want to find them. The female chews a ring in the stem and deposits her eggs further out on the stem. The eggs hatch in the stem and the larvae feed on the dying wood in the stem caused by the girdle cutting off nutrients to the end of the branch. The larvae will overwinter in the wood and adults will emerge in the spring. Research has shown the damage has no affect on the health of mesquite trees and it is simply nature’s way of pruning. So the good news is you don’t have to do anything to prevent these beetles from chewing on your trees.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to tucsongardensage@gmail.com
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