Dendroctonus brevicomis
Life stages of D. brevicomis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Curculionidae
Genus: Dendroctonus
Species:
D. brevicomis
Binomial name
Dendroctonus brevicomis
LeConte, 1876

Dendroctonus brevicomis, the western pine beetle, is a species of crenulate bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is found in North America[1][2][3] and parts of Mexico.[4] It is known as a destructive pest of ponderosa and Coulter pine trees.[5] When drought makes these pines more susceptible to infestations by D. brevicomis, there is an increased risk of forest fires due to dead trees.[6]

Adult D. brevicomis are brown or black beetles 3–5 mm in length. Females carve lengthy egg galleries in the wood, damaging the trees.[5]

A black and white photos shows 3 slabs of wood showing heavy, medium, and light damage. The egg galleries look like winding tunnels in the wood.
Examples of D. brevicomis egg galleries in ponderosa pine

References

  1. ↑ "Dendroctonus brevicomis Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  2. ↑ "Dendroctonus brevicomis". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  3. ↑ Valerio-Mendoza, O; Armendáriz-Toledano, F; Cuéllar-Rodríguez, G; Negrón, José F; Zúñiga, G (2017-09-01). "The Current Status of the Distribution Range of the Western Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Northern Mexico". Journal of Insect Science. 17 (5). doi:10.1093/jisesa/iex070. ISSN 1536-2442. PMC 5597856. PMID 28922899.
  4. 1 2 Will, Kip; Gross, Joyce; Rubinoff, Daniel; Powell, Jerry A. (2020). Field Guide to California Insects. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 265. ISBN 9780520288744.
  5. ↑ "Western Pine Beetle Kindles Fire Concerns in California". BioCycle. 44 (4): 53. April 1, 2003.

Further reading

  • Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2013). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 7: Curculionoidea I. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-90-04-26093-1.
  • Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2013). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 8: Curculionoidea II. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-90-04-25916-4.
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