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I noticed my plum tree in the backyard today looked dry, but it hasn't been.

I went to check it out and the branches easily broke off. I noticed these little "white rice" looking objects within the branches.

I decided to also check out a 2-year old willow in the front yard...same "bugs" in the branches.

They didn't appear to be moving.

I'm in East Tennessee and have not noticed termite swarms.

We also just endured a fairly large 13 year cicada cycle for the last few months...silence is nice.

I've looked and looked online and can not find a similar image of these bugs.

I'm at a loss in identifying these and am telling myself that they aren't termites.

Any ideas?
And how do I stop them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HortiCulture,

I'm taking a wild guess here. Have you looked at Shothole borers? http://jenny.tfrec.wsu.edu/opm...aySpecies.php?pn=530

Not sure if this little booger is related, but found it and another crawling on me while pruning out the dead and infested limbs in the willow tree.

The "white rice" bugs, which I assume are larvae was found in a weeping willow tree, plum tree, and pear tree.

Nearby apple tree, cherry, dogwood, dawn redwood, and juniper hollywoods appear to be unaffected...for now.

Sadly, I don't think the plum tree is going to make it, there are little pin holes all over the tree.

I believe the willow can withstand whatever this is, as it is growing faster than the infestation.

Is there a treatment for this beetle?
Anyone know what type it is?
Do you think the larvae is of this beetle?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HortiCulture,

Solved...it appears that it was related to the recent 13 year cicada cycle.

Just took the right Google search...cicada eggs.

Beetle was an outlier

Thanks cicadas, you've ruined my plum tree.

OMG You need a group hug! UGH!!! I thought Japanese Beetles were evil! What can you do? Spray the whole yard or what?!! This is making me itch! :>( !!

that's how it is supposed to work.... the female lays eggs into the twigs, near the end of the branch.... that portion of the twig dies, falls off, carrying her eggs to the ground ....once on the ground, at the right time, they'll leave the twig and go into the soil..... there to rest for the next 13 years or so..... most of the time, this doesn't do damage to the trees... unless they are the only ones around and very young.... I always saw it as a way Nature had of 'pruning' branches to let the tree grow more of them....while the bugs got to live on, too....

I'm sorry you think your tree is in danger.... have a lot of trees been removed in your area since the last cicadas outbreak?.... that may be why they're using the smaller trees....read here.... at 'they're doing the tree a favor'....

http://www.cicadamania.com/cic...-brood-xix-invasion/