emerald ash borer, side, md_2016-03-03-17.18 (via USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab)
Destroyer of Ash, this is Agrilus planipennis an invasive Buprestid that has invaded North America where it feeds on Ash. trees. At this point all ash trees in North America are threatened and could ecologically eliminate them from North American forests. On the other hand it is a beautiful Buprestid beetle that simply was brought to the wrong place. This particular specimen came from Maryland.













