Scolytinae
Guides
Euwallacea perbrevis
tea shot-hole borer
Euwallacea perbrevis, the tea shot-hole borer, is an invasive ambrosia beetle native to South and Southeast Asia through Australia. It is part of the Euwallacea fornicatus cryptic species complex, distinguished from its three sibling species (E. fornicatus, E. fornicatior, and E. kuroshio) primarily through molecular genetics rather than morphology. The beetle cultivates symbiotic fungi in galleries bored into host trees and vectors fungal pathogens causing Fusarium branch dieback. It has been introduced to the United States (Florida, Hawaii), Costa Rica, and Panama, where it poses significant economic threats to avocado production and urban trees.
Gnathotrichus
ambrosia beetles
Gnathotrichus is a genus of ambrosia beetles in the family Curculionidae containing at least 40 described species. Species in this genus cultivate fungal symbionts in wood galleries and are primarily associated with coniferous hosts. Several species have been studied for their pheromone-mediated aggregation behavior, with males producing species-specific attractants. The genus includes both native and invasive species, with Gnathotrichus materiarius established in Europe since the 1930s.
Gnathotrichus retusus
western pinewood stainer
Gnathotrichus retusus, commonly known as the western pinewood stainer, is an ambrosia beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is primarily univoltine, with a minimum development time of 40 days from egg to adult in Douglas-fir logs. The species is known to reproduce in both Douglas-fir and western hemlock stumps. Flight activity is strongly crepuscular, with a major peak at dusk and a minor morning peak, regulated primarily by light intensity.
Gnathotrichus sulcatus
western hemlock wood stainer
Gnathotrichus sulcatus, commonly known as the western hemlock wood stainer, is an ambrosia beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is native to western North America and is a pest of softwood logs, particularly in timber processing areas. The species produces sulcatol as an aggregation pheromone and exhibits secondary attraction behavior. Both sexes respond to host kairomones including ethanol and α-pinene. The beetle cultivates fungal symbionts in its galleries, including Ambrosiella sulcati and Raffaelea sulcati.
Hylastes gracilis
crenulate bark beetle
Hylastes gracilis is a bark beetle species in the family Curculionidae, first described by LeConte in 1868. It belongs to the subfamily Scolytinae, a group commonly known as bark and ambrosia beetles. The species has been documented in North America and Middle America, with specific records from British Columbia, Canada.
Hylastes macer
root-feeding bark beetle
Hylastes macer is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the root-feeding bark beetle. It belongs to the subfamily Scolytinae, a group of beetles known for their association with woody plants. The species is native to North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Hylastes, it is likely associated with coniferous hosts, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Hylastes nigrinus
Hylastes nigrinus is a root-feeding bark beetle in the family Curculionidae (subfamily Scolytinae) that breeds in the roots and stumps of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), particularly in trees killed by Dendroctonus pseudotsugae. The species exhibits strong temperature-dependent emergence and light-influenced flight behavior, with peak activity occurring in late afternoon or early evening. It is a suspected vector of the pathogen Verticicladiella wageneri, which causes black stain root disease. Development typically spans one year, with five larval instars and overwintering by both adults and mature larvae in galleries.
Hylastes opacus
crenulate bark beetle
Hylastes opacus is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, native to the Palearctic region and recently introduced to North America. The species breeds in stumps and roots of dead or dying pines (Pinus) and occasionally other conifers. Adults use host volatiles as chemical cues to locate suitable breeding material, with documented attraction to nonanal, ethanol, and (-)-α-pinene. The species has been recorded in North American locations including Vermont and New York.
Hylastes porculus
Hylastes porculus is a crenulate bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, found in North America. The species has been documented as a vector of pathogenic fungi, including Leptographium terebrantis, Leptographium procerum, and Ophiostoma ips, to wounded roots of red pine (Pinus resinosa). Its role in transmitting these fungi implicates it in red pine decline disease.
Hylastinus
clover root borer (for H. obscurus)
A genus of crenulate bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) comprising approximately 11 described species. The genus is best known through Hylastinus obscurus, the clover root borer, which has been extensively studied due to its status as a major agricultural pest of red clover (Trifolium pratense). Members develop in roots of leguminous plants, with larvae creating short galleries in root tissues. The genus has a Palearctic native distribution but H. obscurus has been introduced to North and South America where it causes significant crop damage.
Hylesinini
Crenulate Bark Beetles
Hylesinini is a tribe of crenulate bark beetles within the weevil family Curculionidae. The tribe comprises at least 20 genera and approximately 80 described species. Members are characterized by the presence of crenulate (scalloped or notched) elytral declivity, a diagnostic feature distinguishing them from related bark beetle tribes. These beetles are primarily associated with woody plants and are distributed across multiple continents.
Hylesinus
crenulate bark beetles
Hylesinus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae comprising more than 180 described species. Members are commonly known as crenulate bark beetles and are primarily associated with woody plants, particularly ash (Fraxinus) and pistachio (Pistacia). Several species have been studied as pests of economic or ornamental importance.
Hylesinus aculeatus
eastern ash bark beetle
Hylesinus aculeatus, commonly known as the eastern ash bark beetle, is a species of bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is one of approximately 20 species in the genus Hylesinus, which are primarily associated with ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). The species is native to North America and has been documented across a broad geographic range from Canada through the United States. Like other bark beetles in this genus, it is likely a phloem feeder that develops under the bark of host trees, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Hylocurus
Hylocurus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae. The genus was established by Eichhoff in 1872 and contains approximately a dozen described species. Members of this genus are found in North America, with records from Mexico and the United States including California. Hylocurus species are associated with woody plants; H. hirtellus has been recorded from northern California black walnut (Juglans hindsii).
Hylocurus carinifrons
Hylocurus carinifrons is a species of bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, described by Atkinson in 1989. The species is known from North America. Like other members of the genus Hylocurus, it is associated with woody plants and belongs to the group commonly known as typical bark beetles.
Hylocurus hirtellus
Hylocurus hirtellus is a bark beetle (Scolytinae) described by Wood & Bright in 1992. It has been documented in Middle America and North America, including British Columbia, Canada. The species is known from a new host record involving northern California black walnut (Juglans hindsii), though detailed biological information remains limited.
Hylocurus parkinsoniae
Hylocurus parkinsoniae is a bark beetle species in the family Curculionidae, first described by Blackman in 1922. It belongs to the genus Hylocurus, a group of weevils associated with woody plants. The species is recorded from North America. Information on its biology and ecology remains limited.
Hylurgopinus
native elm bark beetles
Hylurgopinus is a monotypic genus of bark beetles in the tribe Hylesinini. The sole species, Hylurgopinus rufipes, is native to North America and serves as a principal vector of Dutch elm disease. Adults are small, brownish-red beetles that bore into elm bark to construct galleries for reproduction and overwintering.
Hylurgopinus rufipes
Native Elm Bark Beetle
The native elm bark beetle is a small scolytine weevil and principal vector of Dutch elm disease in the northern Great Plains and prairie provinces of Canada. Adults are brownish-red, measuring 2.3–2.9 mm, and complete one generation annually. Overwintered adults emerge in spring to colonize weakened or dying American elm, constructing egg galleries in the inner bark where larvae feed on cambium tissue. The species exhibits distinctive acoustic communication: males produce simple multipulse calls, stress/rivalry chirps, and bimodal premating stridulation at gallery sites, while females do not stridulate. Males become strongly arrested at attractive female galleries and engage in brief contests with rival males shortly after a resident male establishes presence.
Hylurgops palliatus
Hylurgops palliatus is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae that colonizes coniferous trees, primarily spruce (Picea) and pine (Pinus) species. It is a secondary bark beetle, meaning it attacks weakened, dying, or recently dead trees rather than healthy ones. The species uses host-specific monoterpene chemical cues to locate and select appropriate host trees. It vectors various fungi, including ophiostomatoid species, which play roles in its ecology and tree colonization.
Hylurgus ligniperda
Goldenhaired Bark Beetle, Red-haired Bark Beetle
Hylurgus ligniperda is an invasive bark beetle native to Europe that has established populations across multiple continents. It is a significant forest pest primarily associated with pine trees (Pinus spp.), where it colonizes roots and lower trunk sections. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in acoustic communication: males produce stridulatory sounds during courtship and disturbance, while females are silent. Its invasion success is facilitated by symbiotic relationships with ophiostomatoid fungi and diverse bacterial communities that assist with host adaptation, detoxification of plant secondary metabolites, and tolerance to environmental temperature fluctuations.
Hypoborini
Hypoborini is a tribe of small bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) established by Nüsslin in 1912. Recent molecular and morphological revision of the Afrotropical fauna revealed substantial undescribed diversity, including three new genera and seven new species. The tribe comprises two subtribes in the Afrotropical region: Xerasiborina (Xerasiborus, Nisiborus, tentatively Glochiphorus) and Hypoborina (Dacryostactus, Styracoptinus, Afrotrypetus, Corditarsus). Related Palearctic genera Hypoborus and Liparthrum occur in Mediterranean and Macaronesian regions. Phylogenetic analyses indicate an early Palaeocene origin with ancestral area split between Asia/Africa and Madagascar, followed by single colonization of Madagascar and subsequent recolonization of the African mainland.
Hypothenemus
Hypothenemus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae containing more than 200 described species. The genus is most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with reduced representation in temperate areas of eastern North America and eastern Asia. Members are minute beetles, ranging from 0.6 mm to 2.2 mm in length, with males consistently smaller than females. The genus includes several economically significant species, most notably H. hampei (coffee berry borer), which is considered the most destructive insect pest of coffee globally.
Hypothenemus georgiae
Hypothenemus georgiae is a small bark beetle species in the weevil family Curculionidae, originally described as Trischidias georgiae by Hopkins in 1915. The species belongs to the genus Hypothenemus, which includes several economically significant pests of agricultural crops, most notably the coffee berry borer (H. hampei). Little specific information is documented about the biology or ecology of H. georgiae compared to its congener H. hampei.
Hypothenemus obscurus
apple twig beetle, tropical nut borer
Hypothenemus obscurus is a small scolytine bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is known by two common names: "apple twig beetle" in North America and "tropical nut borer" in tropical regions. The species attacks several crops including macadamia nut and coffee, and has been documented developing on artificial diets of both macadamia and coffee. Its life cycle from egg to adult has been estimated at approximately 28.5 days under laboratory conditions. The species is native to tropical regions and has been introduced to North America.
Ipini
Engraver Beetles and Allies
Ipini is a monophyletic tribe of bark beetles (Scolytinae) commonly known as engraver beetles. Members are specialized conifer feeders, primarily associated with Pinaceae hosts including *Pinus* and *Picea*. The tribe includes economically significant forest pests such as *Ips typographus* (European spruce bark beetle) and *Ips sexdentatus* (six-spined engraver beetle). Species develop within wood tissues, creating egg galleries that can kill host trees during outbreaks.
Ips
Engraver beetles, Ips engraver beetles, Pine engravers
Ips is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae. Species are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, with some introduced to Australia and Africa. Many species are forest pests, particularly of pines and spruces. They are commonly known as engraver beetles due to the distinctive gallery patterns their larvae carve beneath bark.
Ips borealis
Northern Engraver Beetle
Ips borealis is a bark beetle species in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the Northern Engraver Beetle. It is found in North America, with records from Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and New Brunswick. As a member of the genus Ips, it belongs to a group of beetles known as engraver beetles that tunnel beneath tree bark, creating distinctive gallery patterns. The species was described by J.M. Swaine in 1911.
Ips calligraphus
six-spined engraver beetle, six-spined ips, coarsewriting engraver
Ips calligraphus is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the six-spined engraver beetle. It is distributed across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, where it primarily colonizes Pinus species. The species is notable for its six-spined declivity (posterior slope) used in identification, its complex gallery system with radiating egg galleries from a central nuptial chamber, and its potential to cause tree mortality during outbreaks. It has been recorded from over 20 U.S. states and several Caribbean islands including Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
Ips confusus
pinyon pine beetle, pinyon ips, pinyon engraver beetle
Ips confusus is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the pinyon pine beetle or pinyon ips. It is a significant pest of pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The beetle colonizes stressed or weakened trees, creating galleries beneath the bark where larvae feed on phloem tissues. Population outbreaks can cause extensive tree mortality, particularly during drought conditions.
Ips grandicollis
eastern five-spined engraver, eastern five-spined ips, southern pine engraver, fivespined engraver
Ips grandicollis is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the eastern five-spined engraver or southern pine engraver. The species is native to North America and has been introduced to Australia. It primarily colonizes Pinus species, attacking weakened, stressed, or recently felled trees rather than healthy standing timber. Males initiate gallery construction and produce aggregation pheromones to attract multiple females. The species has reached economic importance in some regions, including Jamaican pine plantations, where it can kill trees when populations aggregate on living hosts.
Ips lecontei
Arizona Five-Spined Ips
Ips lecontei is a bark beetle species in the weevil family Curculionidae, first described by J.M. Swaine in 1924. It belongs to the genus Ips, a group commonly known as engraver beetles due to the distinctive gallery patterns their larvae create beneath tree bark. The species is distributed in North America and Middle America. Like other Ips species, it is associated with coniferous trees, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Ips paraconfusus
California fivespined ips, California fivespined ip
Ips paraconfusus is a bark beetle species native to western North America, notable as the first bark beetle from which a pheromone was identified in 1967. Males produce aggregation pheromones ipsenol and ipsdienol primarily through de novo biosynthesis, with minor contribution from host-tree myrcene conversion. The species colonizes various pine species, with strong preference for ponderosa pine over non-host trees such as white fir.
Ips perturbatus
Northern Spruce Engraver
Ips perturbatus, the northern spruce engraver, is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae (subfamily Scolytinae) that colonizes spruce trees (Picea spp.) across northern North America. It is primarily associated with white spruce (Picea glauca) and typically breeds on trees already killed or weakened by other agents, though it can attack stressed living trees. The species has one generation per year in most of its range, with adults overwintering in the ground. Males initiate galleries and attract 1–4 females to form harems; females construct egg tunnels averaging 10 cm in length and lay approximately 49 eggs each. The species is notable for its associations with ophiostomatoid fungi, particularly Leptographium fruticetum, which may play a role in its ecology.
Ips pilifrons sulcifrons
Ips pilifrons sulcifrons is a subspecies of bark beetle in the family Curculionidae (subfamily Scolytinae). It is a member of the Ips genus, commonly known as engraver beetles, which are characterized by the distinctive gallery patterns they create beneath tree bark. This subspecies was described by Wood in 1960. Like other Ips species, it is associated with coniferous trees and plays a role in forest ecosystem dynamics.
Ips plastographus
California pine engraver, Forgery Bark Weevil
Ips plastographus, commonly known as the California pine engraver, is a bark beetle in the weevil family Curculionidae. It is native to western North America and primarily associated with pine hosts, particularly lodgepole pine. New adult beetles have been documented overwintering in short tunnels within the sapwood of windfelled trees. The species is provisionally accepted in taxonomic databases and has limited published natural history documentation.
Ips tridens
Western Engraver
Ips tridens is a bark beetle species in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, first described by Wood in 1982. It is commonly known as the Western Engraver. The species is distributed across northern North America, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, the Northern Territories, and Yukon Territory in Canada. Like other Ips species, it is associated with coniferous trees and belongs to a genus known for creating distinctive gallery patterns beneath bark.
Ips woodi
Wood's Bark Weevil
Ips woodi is a bark beetle species in the family Curculionidae, described by T.O. Thatcher in 1965. The species is found in North America, with confirmed records from Alberta, Canada. Like other members of the genus Ips, it is associated with coniferous trees, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. The species is distinguished from congeners by subtle morphological features, particularly in the arrangement of spines on the elytral declivity.
Micracidini
Micracidini is a tribe of Afrotropical bark beetles within Scolytinae. The tribe comprises 11 valid genera following a 2021 taxonomic revision that erected five new genera (Neomicracis, Leiomicracis, Diplotrichus, Pseudolanurgus, Microlanurgus) and synonymized one genus. Phylogenetic analyses based on five molecular markers and morphological characters support this classification. The tribe originated in the late Cretaceous and exhibits a biogeographic pattern centered on Madagascar, which was colonized once from East Africa followed by multiple re-colonizations to the mainland.
Micracis swainei
Micracis swainei is a bark beetle in the weevil family Curculionidae, described by Blackman in 1920. The species occurs in North America, with records from Canada (Ontario), the United States, the Caribbean, and Middle America. As a member of the subfamily Scolytinae, it is presumed to be associated with woody plants, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Monarthrum
Monarthrum is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, containing approximately five described species. These beetles are associated with dying and dead wood, particularly oak, and exhibit ambrosia beetle characteristics including attraction to host volatiles and potential fungal symbiosis. The genus has been studied for its chemical ecology, with specific compounds identified as attractants for monitoring purposes.
Monarthrum scutellare
ambrosia beetle
Monarthrum scutellare is a scolytine weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) native to North America. It is an ambrosia beetle, a guild that cultivates fungal symbionts within wood galleries rather than feeding directly on plant tissues. The species has been documented in British Columbia, Canada, where it has been detected using a combination of ethanol and synthetic 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one lures. Like other Monarthrum species, it poses potential threats as an invasive pest due to its cryptic lifestyle and association with forest ecosystems.
Oodera
Oodera is the sole genus in the monotypic family Ooderidae, a group of chalcidoid wasps elevated to family rank in 2022. Species range from 3.6 to 17 mm and are distinguished by raptorial forelegs and a mantis-like habitus. Almost all species are parasitoids of xylophagous beetle larvae in families Buprestidae and Curculionidae. The genus occurs in warm regions of the Palearctic, Afrotropical, and Indomalayan realms, with one introduced species in the Nearctic.
Orthotomicus
Orthotomicus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, containing approximately nine described species. The genus is primarily associated with coniferous trees, particularly pines (Pinus spp.) and cedars (Cedrus spp.). Several species, notably Orthotomicus erosus (Mediterranean pine engraver) and O. laricis, have become significant forest pests through native population outbreaks and invasive range expansions. Species in this genus are known for their associations with ophiostomatoid fungi, which they vector and which contribute to tree decline.
Orthotomicus caelatus
Carving Bark Beetle
Orthotomicus caelatus is a bark beetle species in the family Curculionidae, described by Wood and Bright in 1992. Like other members of the genus Orthotomicus, it is a wood-boring beetle associated with coniferous trees. The species has been documented in North America and Africa, though detailed ecological studies specific to this species remain limited. Its common name, "Carving Bark Beetle," reflects its feeding behavior beneath tree bark.
Orthotomicus erosus
Mediterranean pine engraver
Orthotomicus erosus, the Mediterranean pine engraver, is a bark beetle native to the Mediterranean region, southern Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It is primarily a secondary pest that colonizes stressed, weakened, or recently dead pine trees, but can reach outbreak levels and attack healthy trees during drought conditions or following fire. The species has expanded its range through domestic and international trade, with established populations in South America (Argentina and Uruguay) and South Africa. It vectors multiple ophiostomatoid fungi, including Ophiostoma ips, which contribute to blue staining and tree decline.
Orthotomicus spinifer
Orthotomicus spinifer is a bark beetle species in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, described by Cognato & Vogler in 2001. It is a member of the genus Orthotomicus, which contains several species of bark beetles that infest coniferous trees. The species is known from North America and, like other members of its genus, is associated with the phloem and cambium layers of trees.
Pagiocerus frontalis
Pagiocerus frontalis is an invasive bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, native to Central and South America. First detected in Africa in December 2018 in Arusha, Tanzania, it has emerged as a significant pest of stored maize and avocado seeds. The beetle bores into grains, producing powdery frass and exit holes, and can perforate woven polypropylene storage bags. Laboratory studies in Tanzania demonstrated substantial damage across 27 maize varieties, with grain damage ranging from 42.5% to 92.5%. Its invasion pattern and damage potential resemble those of the larger grain borer (Prostephanus truncatus), which caused severe losses following its introduction to Africa.
Phloeosinini
Phloeosinini is a tribe of bark beetles within the subfamily Scolytinae, comprising at least 16 genera including the economically significant genus Phloeosinus. Members are wood-boring beetles primarily associated with conifer hosts across five families: Araucariaceae, Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, Podocarpaceae, and Taxaceae. The tribe includes species with invasive potential that are readily transported internationally via wood products and packaging materials.
Phloeosinus armatus
Phloeosinus armatus is a bark beetle in the subfamily Scolytinae, the largest species in its genus. Native to the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean, it has been introduced to Italy, Russia, and North America. The species colonizes Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean cypress), forming gallery systems on trunks and large branches. It acts as a vector for phytopathogenic fungi, including Seiridium cardinale, the agent of cypress canker disease.