Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle - Special Considerations

Special Considerations

Extensive destruction of California's Central Valley riparian forests has occurred during the last 150 years due to agricultural and urban development. According to some estimates, riparian forest in the Central Valley have declined by as much as 89% during that time. The valley elderberry longhorn beetle, though wide-ranging, is in long-term decline due to human activities that have resulted in widespread alteration and fragmentation of riparian habitats, and to a lesser extent, upland habitats, which support the beetle.

The primary threats to survival of the beetle include:

• loss and alteration of habitat by agricultural conversion
• inappropriate grazing
• levee construction, stream and river channelization, removal of riparian vegetation and rip-rapping of shoreline
• nonnative animals such as the Argentine ant, which may eat the early phases of the beetle
• recreational, industrial and urban development.

Insecticide and herbicide use in agricultural areas and along road right-of-ways may be factors limiting the beetle's distribution. The age and quality of individual elderberry shrubs/trees and stands as a food plant for beetle may also be a factor in its limited distribution.