Bay Area county officials report invasive, oak-threatening beetles

An invasive beetle species with a taste for oak trees has been detected in Novato.

The county agriculture department announced the discovery of Mediterranean oak borers on Monday and called upon the public to watch for them in their yards.

The bugs are about 3 millimeters long and can bore tunnels into trees. The species can also harm trees by infecting them with pathogens from the fungus they carry and feed upon. Infestation can spread to a tree’s trunk and ultimately kill the plant, the county said.