Conifer-associated
Guides
Pogonocherus propinquus
Pogonocherus propinquus is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Fall in 1910. It belongs to the subfamily Lamiinae and tribe Pogonocherini. The species has been recorded from western North America, including British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with coniferous trees, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Poliaenus
Poliaenus is a genus of longhorn beetles in the subfamily Lamiinae, tribe Pogonocherini. The genus was established by Bates in 1880 and contains approximately 11 species distributed primarily in western North America. Species in this genus are associated with coniferous and hardwood trees, with several species named after their host associations.
Priobium
death-watch beetles
Priobium is a genus of wood-boring beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), commonly referred to as death-watch beetles. The genus occurs in western North America and Europe, with species that bore into coniferous wood. Adults lack the distinctly clubbed antennae seen in some related genera. Larval development occurs within dead or dying conifer wood.
Protaxymyja thuja
Protaxymyia thuja is a species of fly in the family Axymyiidae, a small and poorly known family of primitive nematoceran Diptera. The species was described in 2014 by Fitzgerald and Wood. Axymyiid flies are typically associated with decaying wood in forested habitats, though specific details for this species remain limited. The family is considered one of the most basal lineages within the true flies.
Protoboarmia
porcelain gray (for P. porcelaria), dash-lined looper (for P. porcelaria)
Protoboarmia is a genus of geometrid moths in the subfamily Ennominae, containing at least two described species: P. porcelaria (porcelain gray, dash-lined looper) and P. simpliciaria. Larval stages have been documented from forest habitats, with eggs laid singly on conifer needles. The genus was established by McDunnough in 1920. Taxonomic status varies by source: Catalogue of Life and GBIF recognize Protoboarmia as valid, while some sources consider it synonymous with Alcis.
Psallovius
Psallovius is a genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae, established by Henry in 1999. The genus contains five described species distributed in North America. Species were originally described under other genera, primarily by Knight in the 1920s–1930s, and later transferred to Psallovius. The genus is part of the diverse mirid fauna associated with coniferous habitats.
Pseudanostirus laricis
Pseudanostirus laricis is a species of click beetle (Elateridae) described by W.J. Brown in 1939. It belongs to the genus Pseudanostirus, a group of dendrometrine click beetles. The species epithet 'laricis' suggests an association with larch (Larix), though the precise nature of this relationship requires verification. Records indicate occurrence in British Columbia, Canada.
Pseudastylopsis
Pseudastylopsis is a genus of longhorn beetles in the subfamily Lamiinae, established by Dillon in 1956. The genus contains four described species distributed in North America. Members are classified in the tribe Acanthocinini, a diverse group of primarily wood-feeding cerambycids. Species are associated with coniferous hosts, particularly pines.
Pseudastylopsis pini
Pseudastylopsis pini is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Schaeffer in 1905. It belongs to the subfamily Lamiinae and tribe Acanthocinini. The species has been recorded in North and Middle America, with documented presence in Mexico and the United States. Like other members of its genus, it is associated with coniferous hosts.
Pseudohylesinus sericeus
silver fir beetle
Pseudohylesinus sericeus, the silver fir beetle, is a bark beetle species in the weevil family Curculionidae. It is known from North America and is associated with silver fir trees. The species was described by Mannerheim in 1843 and is currently classified in the genus Pseudohylesinus, though it was formerly placed in Hylurgus.
Pytho seidlitzi
dead log beetle
Pytho seidlitzi is a species of dead log beetle in the family Pythidae, described by Blair in 1925. It is the sole member of the monophyletic P. seidlitzi species group, which is endemic to North America. The species is part of a genus whose ancestors likely became associated with conifers as early as the Jurassic period. Phylogenetic studies indicate that larval characters are more important than adult characters for defining species groups within Pytho.
Retinia houseri
Minute Pitch-blister Moth
Retinia houseri is a small tortricid moth described from eastern North America. The common name 'Minute Pitch-blister Moth' suggests an association with pine pitch blisters, a trait shared with congeners in this genus. Most Retinia species are specialized on conifers, particularly pines (Pinus), where larvae feed within resinous pitch masses. The species remains poorly documented in scientific literature.
Retinia metallica
Ponderosa Pine Caterpillar Moth
Retinia metallica is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, subfamily Olethreutinae. The species was described by Busck in 1914. Commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine Caterpillar Moth, it belongs to a genus whose larvae are typically associated with coniferous hosts. As with other Retinia species, this moth likely has a life cycle tied to pine trees, though specific biological details for this species remain limited in available sources.
Retinia pallipennis
Retinia pallipennis is a species of tortricid moth described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1938. It belongs to the genus Retinia, a group commonly known as pine resin moths or pitch moths, many of which are associated with coniferous hosts. The species was originally described as Petrova pallipennis before being transferred to Retinia. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with pine hosts, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Rhagium inquisitor
Ribbed Pine Borer
Rhagium inquisitor, commonly known as the ribbed pine borer, is a medium-sized longhorn beetle distinguished by its unusual morphology and unique life history. Unlike most cerambycids, adults have short antennae and a 'big-shouldered' build with heavily ribbed elytra. The species is notable for being one of the few North American cerambycids to overwinter as adults rather than larvae, and for pupating directly beneath bark rather than in the sapwood. It has a broad Holarctic distribution spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.
Rhyncolus brunneus
Rhyncolus brunneus is a species of true weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae, first described by Mannerheim in 1843. It is native to North America with documented occurrences in Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and New Brunswick). As a member of the genus Rhyncolus, it belongs to a group of weevils associated with coniferous trees. The species has been observed in limited numbers on iNaturalist, suggesting it may be relatively uncommon or underreported.
Scierus pubescens
Scierus pubescens is a species of crenulate bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is native to North America, with documented occurrences across Canada and the northern United States. First described by J.M. Swaine in 1924, this species belongs to a genus of bark beetles associated with coniferous trees.
Syntexis libocedrii
incense-cedar wood wasp, cedar wood wasp
Syntexis libocedrii is the sole extant representative of the family Anaxyelidae, a lineage with an extensive Mesozoic fossil record that makes this species a 'living fossil.' It exhibits a highly specialized reproductive strategy, ovipositing exclusively in wood of recently burned conifers including incense-cedar (Calocedrus), red cedar (Thuja), and juniper (Juniperus). The species is rarely encountered due to its cryptic habits and dependence on post-fire environments.
Tachyerges ephippiatus
Tachyerges ephippiatus is a species of weevil in the family Curculionidae. It is distributed across central and eastern Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The genus Tachyerges includes species associated with conifers, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Taniva
Taniva is a monotypic moth genus in the family Tortricidae, established by Carl Heinrich in 1926. It contains a single species, Taniva albolineana (spruce needleminer moth), described by William D. Kearfott in 1907. The genus is characterized by small moths with wingspans around 12 mm. It occurs in northern North America where its larvae mine spruce needles.
Temnoscheila acuta
Temnoscheila acuta is a bark-gnawing beetle in the family Trogossitidae. The species was described by LeConte in 1858. It closely resembles Eleodes suturalis, a darkling beetle with which it shares size, coloration, and a reddish-brown sutural stripe on the elytra. Both species occur sympatrically in the Great Plains region. T. acuta averages larger than E. suturalis, approximately 30 mm versus under 26 mm.
Temnoscheila aerea
Temnoscheila aerea is a bark-gnawing beetle in the family Trogossitidae. The genus Temnoscheila is characterized by highly agile beetles that are usually at least slightly iridescent or metallic in appearance. This species is part of a family whose members are associated with dead or decaying wood, particularly on conifers. The specific epithet "aerea" suggests a bronze or coppery metallic coloration.
Temnoscheila omolopha
Temnoscheila omolopha is a species of bark-gnawing beetle in the family Trogossitidae. It belongs to a genus of beetles associated with dead and decaying wood, particularly on conifers. The species is rarely encountered in the field, with only six observations documented on iNaturalist, suggesting either genuine rarity or highly specialized habitat requirements that limit detection.
Tesuquea hawleyana
Tesuquea hawleyana is a small moth in the family Carposinidae, first described by Klots in 1936. It is one of only two known species in the genus Tesuquea, both endemic to the southwestern United States. The species is poorly known, with limited collection records and minimal published biological information.
Tetropium abietis
Round-headed Fir Borer
Tetropium abietis is a longhorn beetle species in the family Cerambycidae, described by Fall in 1912. The common name "Round-headed Fir Borer" suggests an association with fir trees (genus Abies). It is a North American species with distribution records from Canada (British Columbia) and the United States. Like other members of the genus Tetropium, it is likely a wood-boring beetle whose larvae develop in coniferous trees.
Tetropium schwarzianum
Tetropium schwarzianum is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Casey in 1891. It belongs to the tribe Tetropiini and is closely related to T. cinnamopterum based on morphological examination of type specimens. The species occurs in eastern North America, with distribution records from Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario). As with other Tetropium species, adults are likely associated with coniferous hosts, though specific host records for this species remain undocumented in available sources.
Thricolema
Thricolema is a monotypic genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Synetinae, containing only Thricolema anomala. Adults are associated with Calocedrus decurrens (incense-cedar) and have been recorded from California and Oregon. The genus is distinguished from the similar Syneta by tarsal claw morphology in females.
Tolype laricis
Larch Tolype Moth, Larch Tolype, Larch Lappet Moth
Tolype laricis is a moth in the family Lasiocampidae, commonly known as the larch tolype or larch lappet moth. The species is native to eastern North America and has been recorded in parts of Canada including Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, as well as the northeastern United States. It was first described by Fitch in 1856 under the basionym Planosa laricis. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 7673.
Tragosoma harrisii
Hairy Pine Borer
Tragosoma harrisii is a large longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Prioninae. It is one of the few North American cerambycids with a Holarctic distribution, also occurring in Europe and Asia. The species is associated with coniferous forests and has been documented in boreal and montane regions across its range. Adults are active during summer months and have been collected using sweet red wine-baited traps.
Tragosoma pilosicorne
Tragosoma pilosicorne is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Casey in 1890. It is native to North America and belongs to the subfamily Prioninae, a group of large, robust cerambycids often associated with coniferous wood. The genus Tragosoma includes species with distinctive morphological features and ecological associations with dead or decaying wood in forested habitats.
Tuxedo drakei
Tuxedo drakei is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, described by Schuh in 2004. The genus Tuxedo was revised by Schuh in 2004, with T. drakei being one of the species included in that revision. It belongs to the subfamily Phylinae, a group of mirid bugs commonly associated with coniferous and other woody plants. Species in this genus are native to western North America.
Xanthonia hirsuta
Small Juniper Xanthonian
Xanthonia hirsuta is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described in 2019. It belongs to the genus Xanthonia, which comprises small, often cryptically colored beetles associated with coniferous vegetation. The species epithet 'hirsuta' refers to the hairy or setose body surface. As a member of the Eumolpinae subfamily, it is likely associated with feeding on gymnosperm foliage, though specific host records remain limited.
Xyela middlekauffi
Xyela middlekauffi is a species of sawfly in the family Xyelidae, one of the most primitive lineages within Hymenoptera. Species in this genus are associated with conifer hosts, particularly pines. Xyela middlekauffi has been documented from a limited number of observations, suggesting either restricted distribution or low detectability. Like other xyelids, adults likely have short life spans and are active during early spring.
Xylotrechus undulatus
Spruce Zebra Beetle
Xylotrechus undulatus is a longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Thomas Say in 1824. It is commonly known as the Spruce Zebra Beetle, a name reflecting its association with coniferous hosts and likely patterned appearance. The species occurs across northern North America, with records from Canada (Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland) and presumably extending into the northern United States. As a member of the tribe Clytini, it belongs to a group of cerambycids often associated with woody plants.
Zopherus
ironclad beetles, living jewel beetles
Zopherus is a genus of 19 species of highly armored beetles distributed from the southern United States through Venezuela. These beetles are renowned for their extraordinarily thick, fused elytra that form an impenetrable shell—so dense that entomologists must drill holes to mount specimens. The genus was erected by George Robert Gray in 1832 and has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with three former genera now synonymized under it. Species exhibit striking geographic color variation: temperate North American forms are uniformly black, while tropical species display bold black-and-white patterns. The beetles are strictly flightless and nocturnal, adapted for wood-boring in coniferous and desert woodland habitats.
Zopherus concolor
concolor ironclad beetle
Zopherus concolor is a species of ironclad beetle in the family Zopheridae, native to North America. The species belongs to a genus of beetles adapted to wood-boring habits, with some Zopherus species historically used as living brooches. Field observations indicate nocturnal activity on dead conifer trunks, particularly Pinus edulis.