Flat headed Borer Grub

[alpineart]

This is a little pest that loves to make its home in the deadwood of olives .

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I removed part of the old shari after finding a small hole on the deadwood . It not the first time i have had these in olive trunks , guess it wont be the last . Unlike other borers it doesn't leave a build up of waste or a web fibre around the hole so it can go undetected for quite some time . I have found another hole

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so i dare say there is more than 1 of these in there . All my tree's were saturated sprayed with rogor twice over the last 3 months , guess it didn't effect this critter , by the looks of the holes have been there for quite some time .

Cheers Alpineart

[Josh]

Thanks for sharing, amazing the number of bugs we get. I often wonder if we get more grubs in plants cause they are in pots and weaker than trees in the wild there fore easier for insects to attack Another grub to put on the watch out for list

Josh

[alpineart]

Hi Kidsandall , i think the bugs are on the move as more material is transported from state to state . I know quit a few weeds have ended up here through interstate material . It doesn't take much to transport hitchhikers with the movement of plants around the nation .

Cheers Alpine

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi alpineart,

It brings back some childhood memories for me I used to feed them to the chickens, the chickens seem to love these grubs.

There is a type of bee that bores the deadwood for nesting as well, but I have not seen them in Victoria yet.

Best regards.

[alpineart]

Hi Daiveit , mate there are several similar types of grubs that are various shaped . This flat head is the only 1of a few i have ever seen . Most of the grubs are root borers , more rounded and up to 70mm long and penetrate via the roots or base of the trunk , we used them for fishing as kids and yes we fed them to the chickens . Wattle tree's - Acacia are well known for root borer attack as are my Japanese Maples up here in the ground .

Cheers Alpine .

[Sean M]

Was there any success in killing these things?
I just found 2 similar white grubs in a bit of deadwood on my EE.

I am a bit worried they may be infesting the tree and I really don't want to lose it.

Thanks in advance.

[alpineart]

Hi sean.mitchell1 , your local nursery should be able to help with an insecticide . Carbaryl is available in numerous forms as is the most widely used .Some recommend a follow up dose . I haven't found any more of these .

Cheers Alpine

[chipper5]

I found one of these in one of my olives as well! I had forgotten all about it until I saw your post. I only found it while pruning the tree and I agree, no outside signs that would make it easier to detect. I'm very interested to know what these are as well- esp if they are native or introduced and if there's a way to get rid of them...