Capnodis tenebrionis (flat-headed root-borer) is a devastating pest of stone fruit trees (cherry, peach, almond, apricot) in Mediterranean regions. Larvae cause major damage by boring into roots and trunks. Key facts include a 13-month lifecycle, 13-25mm size, and white larvae, which can be managed by biological agents like e-nema nematodes.
Key Facts About the Flat-Headed Root-Borer (Capnodis tenebrionis)
Pest Type: It is a jewel beetle (Buprestidae family) that predominantly attacks stone fruit trees in Southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
Destructive Life Stage: The larva is the most destructive stage, living within the tree for up to a year, eating through roots and the root collar, as detailed in the Atlas of Forest Pests.
Damage Symptoms: Larvae feed under the bark, creating tunnels and filling them with frass (sawdust-like waste). This causes tree weakness, dieback of branches, and often death of young trees.
Lifecycle: Adults emerge in spring, with females laying thousands of eggs in the soil near tree bases. Larvae hatch and burrow into the roots.
Identification: Adult beetles are oval, flattened, and black or dark gray, usually 15-25 mm long. Larvae are white, soft-bodied, and worm-like with a distinctively broad, flattened "head" (actually the thorax).
