What damage do borers cause?

What damage do borers cause?

• A. They tunnel beneath bark into cambium or heartwood.
• B. They feed on leaf surfaces.
• C. They damage fruit flesh.
• D. They cause surface cracking only.

Answer: (A)

Borers cause damage by living and feeding inside the tree wood, tunneling beneath the bark into the cambium or into heartwood. This internal digging disrupts the tree’s vascular system and structural tissues, especially when tunnels girdle the stem or branch, which can prevent water and nutrient transport and weaken the tree. The cambium is the growing layer between bark and wood where nutrients are transported and new wood forms, so when borers tunnel into or beneath it, growth slows or stops and dieback can occur. Heartwood tunneling also compromises structural integrity and can create pathways for pathogens. This kind of damage is internal and related to wood and vascular disruption, not leaf surfaces, fruit flesh, or surface cracking, which is why tunneling beneath bark into cambium or heartwood is the best description of borer damage.

Borers cause damage by living and feeding inside the tree wood, tunneling beneath the bark into the cambium or into heartwood. This internal digging disrupts the tree’s vascular system and structural tissues, especially when tunnels girdle the stem or branch, which can prevent water and nutrient transport and weaken the tree. The cambium is the growing layer between bark and wood where nutrients are transported and new wood forms, so when borers tunnel into or beneath it, growth slows or stops and dieback can occur. Heartwood tunneling also compromises structural integrity and can create pathways for pathogens. This kind of damage is internal and related to wood and vascular disruption, not leaf surfaces, fruit flesh, or surface cracking, which is why tunneling beneath bark into cambium or heartwood is the best description of borer damage.