Pine-forest
Guides
Alaus lusciosus
Texas Eyed Click Beetle, Texas Click Beetle
Alaus lusciosus, the Texas Eyed Click Beetle, is a large click beetle (Elateridae) distinguished by prominent false eyespots on the pronotum. Adults measure 20–35 mm and are nearly identical to A. zunianus, with which they share rounder eyespots and ivory or beige mottling rather than stark white patterning. The species ranges from Texas to southern Colorado, Oklahoma, and Kansas, where adults are active during the day or at dusk and are strong fliers. Larvae are predatory, inhabiting decaying wood and preying on other beetle larvae and pupae.
Alaus myops
Small-eyed Click Beetle, Blind Click Beetle
Alaus myops, commonly known as the Small-eyed Click Beetle or Blind Click Beetle, is a large elaterid beetle distinguished by its reduced eyespots compared to its congener A. oculatus. Adults are primarily slate gray in coloration and active in southern pine forests. The species exhibits the characteristic clicking mechanism of the family Elateridae, using a prosternal spine and mesosternal notch to launch itself when disturbed. Both adults and larvae are predatory, inhabiting loose bark on pine trees, logs, and stumps.
Andrenosoma hesperium
Golden-horned Chiselmouth
Andrenosoma hesperium is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, subfamily Laphriinae. Described by Martin in 1966, this western North American species is one of six Andrenosoma species occurring in North America, with four species restricted to Texas, one to eastern North America (A. fulvicaudum), and A. hesperium occurring only in the western United States. Like other laphriine robber flies, its larvae are predators of wood-boring beetle larvae.
Apantesis allectans
Apantesis allectans is a small tiger moth in the family Erebidae, originally described as Grammia allectans by Douglas C. Ferguson in 1985. The species was later transferred to Apantesis as part of a broader reclassification of tiger moth genera. It has a restricted distribution in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, where it inhabits montane pine forests at moderate elevations.
Barichneumon
Barichneumon is a genus of ichneumonid wasps established by Thomson in 1893. At least one species, Barichneumon bilunulatus, has been documented as a parasitoid of the pine beauty moth (Panolis flammea), a pest of pine forests. The genus is recorded from Scandinavia and Denmark.
Brochymena myops
rough stink bug, tree stink bug
Brochymena myops is a species of rough stink bug native to North America, belonging to the genus Brochymena commonly known as "tree stink bugs" for their bark-like camouflage. The species ranges from Quebec to Florida and westward through the central United States to Texas. Adults are active during warm periods throughout the year, including winter sunny days, and are frequently mistaken for the invasive brown marmorated stink bug. Like other Brochymena species, B. myops is not considered an agricultural or household pest.
Chalcolepidius apacheanus
Apache click beetle
Chalcolepidius apacheanus is a large click beetle (family Elateridae) native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The species belongs to a genus characterized by metallic coloration and substantial body size among click beetles. Field observations indicate adults are associated with dead or dying coniferous trees, particularly ponderosa pine, where they have been observed at the base of trunks and in association with wood-boring beetle galleries. The species is active during summer months in montane pine-oak woodlands.
Chalcophora virginiensis
Sculptured Pine Borer
Chalcophora virginiensis, commonly known as the sculptured pine borer, is one of the largest jewel beetles in eastern North America, measuring well over an inch in length. Adults are characterized by their hyper-sculptured, shiny metallic coppery bodies that provide effective camouflage against the bark of dead or dying pine trees. The species is endemic to forested areas of the eastern United States and Canada, where it is strictly associated with pine hosts. Larvae develop within the wood of their host trees, while adults are active during daylight hours and rely on crypsis rather than chemical or physical defenses against predators.
Coelocnemis rugulosa
Coelocnemis rugulosa is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, described by Doyen in 1973. It belongs to a genus of seven species found in western North America and adjacent southern Canada. Like other Coelocnemis species, it is a flightless, nocturnal beetle adapted to xeric forest habitats. The genus is distinguished from the superficially similar Eleodes by having distinct parallel lines of yellow pubescence on the inner surface of the tibiae.
Crematogaster ashmeadi
acrobatic ant, Ashmead's Acrobat Ant
Crematogaster ashmeadi, commonly known as the acrobat ant, is a strictly arboreal ant species native to eastern North America and widespread in the Southeastern United States. It is the most dominant arboreal ant in pine forests of the coastal plains of northern Florida, where colonies inhabit chambers in the outer bark of living pine trees. The species exhibits specialized nesting behavior, relying on pre-existing cavities excavated by bark-mining caterpillars rather than constructing its own galleries. Workers are known for their distinctive trail-laying behavior using tibial gland secretions and have been observed raiding wasp nests.
Enoclerus lecontei
blackbellied clerid
Enoclerus lecontei is a predatory checkered beetle (family Cleridae) specialized in hunting bark beetles. It is found in North and Central America, with well-documented populations in western North America where it serves as a significant predator of the western pine beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis). The species has been extensively studied for its potential as a biological control agent against forest pest beetles.
Enoclerus moestus
Enoclerus moestus is a checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, found in Central America and North America. The species is a predator associated with freshly cut pine logs and dead wood, where it hunts bark beetles and other small insects. Adults are active at logging sites and have been observed alongside other Enoclerus species including E. lecontei and E. sphegeus.
Hydraecia medialis
Hydraecia medialis is a noctuid moth native to western North America. Adults are active from mid-August through September and are characterized by pale gray-tan forewings with a darker, often reddish median area and distinctive red-brown or brown and white postmedial line. The species inhabits open ponderosa pine forests, drier sagebrush steppe, and juniper woodlands across a range extending from British Columbia to northern New Mexico.
Liometopum occidentale
velvety tree ant, Western Velvety Tree Ant
Liometopum occidentale, commonly known as the velvety tree ant, is a species of ant in the subfamily Dolichoderinae native to western North America. The species is frequently misidentified as carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.) due to shared morphological traits including polymorphic workers, a smooth convex thoracic profile, and wood-excavating behavior. This misidentification has led to underreporting of its significance as a structural pest in California, Oregon, and Washington. Colonies are large and polydomous, with worker populations estimated between 40,000 and 60,000 individuals.
Medetera bistriata
Medetera bistriata is a species of long-legged fly in the family Dolichopodidae. Adults are commonly observed on tree trunks in pine forests, where they adopt a characteristic tiptoe posture. The larvae are specialized predators of bark beetles, particularly species in the genera Dendroctonus and Ips. The species is recognized as an important biological control agent of the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis).
Mulsantina picta
Painted Lady Beetle, Pine Lady Beetle
Mulsantina picta is a small lady beetle native to North America, commonly found in pine forest habitats across the United States and southern Canada. The species is a specialized predator of aphids and adelgids associated with conifers. Adults measure 3.3–5.3 mm in length and exhibit variable elytral patterning. The species has been observed to dominate in older pine stands despite low aphid densities in these habitats.
Oeneis macounii
Macoun's Arctic, Canada Arctic
Oeneis macounii is a medium-sized satyrine butterfly occurring across boreal North America. Adults have a wingspan of 46–65 mm and exhibit a distinctive biennial life cycle with regionally alternating flight years. The species is closely associated with pine forests, particularly jack pine and lodgepole pine systems.
Phaenops gentilis
Phaenops gentilis is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, known for its bright metallic green coloration. Adults are approximately 8 mm in length and are associated with pine forests, particularly ponderosa pine. The species has been documented exhibiting erratic running behavior when disturbed and is known to pause for grooming and egg-laying activities. It occurs in western North America including Colorado, Arizona, and British Columbia.
Platydracus pinorum
Platydracus pinorum is a large rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, native to the southeastern United States. The genus Platydracus includes many of the largest rove beetles in North America. Members of this genus are predatory, with some species attracted to decomposing organic matter where they hunt other insects. The specific epithet 'pinorum' suggests an association with pine habitats, though detailed ecological studies are limited.
Prionus pocularis
Tooth-necked Longhorn Beetle
Prionus pocularis is a large longhorn beetle in the subfamily Prioninae, distributed across southeastern North America with its northwestern range limit in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri. The species is strongly associated with shortleaf pine forests, where larvae develop in decaying pine wood. Adults are nocturnal and have been documented responding to prionic acid pheromone lures, a trait shared with other Prionus species.
Pseudopolydesmus pinetorum
A small polydesmid millipede species first described by Bollman in 1888. The species name 'pinetorum' refers to its association with pine forest habitats. A laboratory study has documented aspects of its reproduction and growth, though detailed natural history information remains limited.
Thaumatographa jonesi
Psychedelic Jones Moth
Thaumatographa jonesi, commonly known as the Psychedelic Jones Moth, is a tortricid moth species found in pine forests of the eastern and southeastern United States. The species was described by Brower in 1953 and is currently classified in the genus Thaumatographa, though it was previously placed in Hilarographa. Its range extends from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Louisiana.