Beech
Guides
Acalitus ferrugineum
beech erineum mite
Acalitus ferrugineum is a microscopic eriophyid mite that induces erineum galls on the leaves of American beech (Fagus grandifolia). The galls appear as pale to light yellow patches that progress to reddish-brown later in the season. The species is known from the United States and Canada and has been documented in over 4,000 observations.
Agrilus obsoletoguttatus
Beech Borer
Agrilus obsoletoguttatus is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, native to North America. It is among the smallest jewel beetle species utilized as prey by the specialist predatory wasp Cerceris fumipennis, which provisions its underground nests with paralyzed buprestid beetles. The species has been documented in nest caches containing up to 13 individuals, reflecting its small size relative to larger buprestid prey.
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prominent moths
Heterocampa is a genus of prominent moths in the family Notodontidae containing approximately 18 described species. Species occur in North, Central, and South America. The genus has undergone taxonomic revision; research published in 2021 resulted in some species being transferred to the genera Cecrita, Macrurocampa, and Rifargia. Several species are forest defoliators, with Heterocampa guttivitta (saddled prominent) and H. manteo (variable oakleaf caterpillar) being among the better studied due to their economic and ecological significance.
Orchestes fagi
Beech leaf-mining weevil, beech leaf-miner beetle
Orchestes fagi is a small weevil species native to Europe that has become invasive in North America, where it attacks American beech (Fagus grandifolia). The larvae mine the leaves of beech trees, while adults undergo an extended diapause of eight to nine months, overwintering on tree boles. The species has spread through eastern Nova Scotia, Canada, with human-assisted transport via firewood and timber implicated in its range expansion.
Osmoderma
Typical Hermit Beetles, Hermit Beetles
Osmoderma is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly known as hermit beetles. The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with species found across Europe, parts of Asia, and North America. Several European species, particularly O. eremita and O. barnabita, are of significant conservation concern due to habitat loss and are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. The genus is characterized by its dependence on tree hollows for larval development, making it highly vulnerable to forest management practices that remove dead wood and veteran trees.
saproxylicconservationHabitats-Directivetree-hollowsveteran-treesindicator-speciesumbrella-specieswood-mouldCetoniinaeScarabaeidaeHolarcticEuropeNorth-Americathreatened-speciesdead-woodforest-managementcitizen-sciencedetection-dogsex-situ-breedingpollardingtraditional-agricultural-landscapesmetapopulationhabitat-fragmentationold-growth-forestbroad-leaved-treesoaklimewillowbeechorchardshedgerowsurban-parkspheromone-monitoringradio-trackingphoretic-mitesScopoli-1763Le-Peletier-&-Serville-1828O.-eremitaO.-barnabitaO.-eremicolahermit-beetlePackardia elegans
Elegant Tailed Slug Moth
Packardia elegans is a small moth species in the family Limacodidae, commonly known as the elegant tailed slug moth. It occurs in eastern North American woodlands and forests, with a range extending from Quebec and Maine south to Georgia and west to Missouri. The species has a forewing length of 10–12 mm. Larvae feed on woody plants including beech, cherry, and oak. Two subspecies are recognized: P. e. elegans and P. e. fusca.
Phyllaphis fagi
Woolly Beech Aphid
Phyllaphis fagi, the woolly beech aphid, is a small sap-sucking insect that lives exclusively on beech trees (Fagus species). It produces dense white to bluish-white wax threads that give colonies a distinctive woolly appearance. The species has a complex life cycle involving both winged and wingless forms, with up to ten generations per year in favorable conditions. Native to Europe, it has been introduced to several other regions including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, where it can become a significant pest in beech forests and nurseries.
Phyllonorycter maestingella
Beech Midget
Phyllonorycter maestingella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. The species is bivoltine, with adults flying in spring and late summer. Larvae are specialized miners of beech leaves, creating distinctive blotch mines on the leaf underside. The species has a transcontinental distribution spanning Europe, Russia, and western North America.
Psilocorsis
Psilocorsis is a genus of moths in the family Depressariidae, first described by Clemens in 1860. Species within this genus are known as leaf-tiers or leaf-tiers, with larvae that construct shelters by binding together leaves of their host plants. The genus contains approximately 14 recognized species distributed primarily in North America. Larvae are associated with woody plants including oaks (Quercus) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and serve as hosts for parasitoid wasp communities.
Xylotrechus quadrimaculatus
birch and beech girdler
Xylotrechus quadrimaculatus is a longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Haldeman in 1847. It is commonly known as the birch and beech girdler, indicating its association with these host trees. The species occurs in eastern North America, with documented records from Canada and the United States.