Bamboo Tiger Longhorn Beetle (Chlorophorus annularis) - A Super Pest?
Does anyone have experience with this bamboo pest? We have found the bug at all stages (pupae, larvae, adult) in our poles which were treated prior to installation in our house (3 week wash, dry then permethrin soak treatment method). Some of the infested poles are three years old already. What is the life-cycle of this bug? Can it have already spread to other poles in the house, or were they already in the poles, survived treatment and are now emerging?
⭐ Best Answer:
Chlorophorus annularis is a serious bamboo pest, it attacks both standing culms and stored bamboo poles. The adults lay eggs in cracks or cut ends, larvae tunnel and feed on the inner fibers, then pupate inside the pole. The full life cycle can run a few months to a year depending on climate, so yes, you can see all stages in the same pole.
If you’re seeing emergence years later, then the preservation treatment was probably not effective enough. It likely knocked the infestation back at first but wore out over time. Once adults emerge, they can re-infest untreated or lightly treated bamboo nearby.
Permethrin can be used to treat bamboo, but it's generally not the most effective method for long-term preservation against insects and fungi. While permethrin is effective against some pests, other treatments like borax-boric acid solutions are often preferred for bamboo due to better penetration and long-term protection.
For existing infestations indoors, you’d need to treat or replace infested poles. If the spread is ongoing, consider targeted treatment by injecting Timbor in all of the bamboo internodes.
