How can metallic wood-boring beetles damage trees?

Metallic wood-boring beetles, belonging to the family Buprestidae, damage trees primarily through the activity of their larvae, which are often called flatheaded borers.1

These larvae cause harm in the following ways:

• Tunneling: The larvae carve ribbon-shaped tunnels into the wood of trees and shrubs, which can cause serious damage, particularly to fruit trees.1
• Gall Formation: Some species, such as those in the genus Agrilus, induce the formation of galls within the tree, where the larvae reside.1
• Leaf Damage: Certain small, flat species, such as Brachys, tunnel directly through the leaves of plants.1

Because these larvae are fleshy, legless grubs that bore into wood, they are frequently destructive to the health and structural integrity of the trees they infest.2