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Anthaxia manca

Elm jewel beetle

Description

The Anthaxia manca, commonly known as the elm jewel beetle, is a beetle from the Buprestidae family. Adults are 7–11 mm long with metallic copper-red thorax and bronze-brown elytra. Its host plants include a wide range of broadleaf trees such as Ulmus species, Tilia cordata, Acer campestre, Prunus mahaleb, and Salix alba. The beetle is distributed across Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe, extending to North Africa and parts of Asia.

The larvae develop under the bark and in the wood of weakened or dying trees, preferring sunny and warm environments like floodplains, parks, or urban settings. The larval feeding creates galleries that disrupt nutrient transport in trees, worsening their vitality and aesthetic value. In severe cases, infestation can lead to branch dieback or even the death of the host tree, especially in already stressed specimens.

Symptom

Infested trees exhibit irregular feeding galleries under the bark, often accompanied by bark cracking and discoloration. Under the bark are serpentine mines with, and branches may appear weakened or dead.

Tree Species: Elm, Cherry, Maple, Lime, Willow

Part of a plant- attacked: Tree trunk, Branch

Pest significance: Less harmful

Pest Category: Insects

Present in EU: Yes