Wood-borer
Guides
Stephanidae
Crown Wasps
Stephanidae, commonly called crown wasps, are a family of solitary idiobiont ectoparasitoid wasps and the sole living members of the superfamily Stephanoidea. The family comprises approximately 365 extant species in 13 genera, plus four extinct genera known from Cretaceous and Tertiary fossils. They are considered the most basal lineage of Apocrita and are rare in collections, with nearly 95% of species described from single specimens. Their distinctive morphology includes a semicircular ocellar corona on the head and highly modified hind legs adapted for host location in wood.
Styloxus bicolor
Red-necked Juniper Borer
Styloxus bicolor is a longhorn beetle (family Cerambycidae) native to western North America. It was described by Champlain and Knull in 1922. The species is commonly known as the Red-necked Juniper Borer and has been documented as a specialist on juniper hosts, particularly Juniperus monosperma. Its life history has been studied in northern Arizona, where it develops as a wood-borer in living juniper trees.
Synanthedon arizonensis
Arizona Clearwing Moth
Synanthedon arizonensis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, known for its wasp-like appearance and diurnal activity. Like other members of its genus, it likely bores into woody plants as larvae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. It belongs to a group of moths that are generally not attracted to light traps, making them difficult to survey using standard moth-collecting methods.
Synanthedon bolteri
Northern Willow Clearwing Moth
Synanthedon bolteri, commonly known as the Northern Willow Clearwing Moth, is a species of clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. It occurs in the Nearctic region, with records from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Like other members of the genus Synanthedon, it is likely a wood-boring species associated with willow or related host plants, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Synanthedon culiciformis
large red-belted clearwing, Large Red-belted Clearwing Moth
Synanthedon culiciformis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic realms. Adults are active from April to August and exhibit wasp-mimicking coloration. The species develops as a wood-boring larva in deciduous trees, particularly birch and alder.
Synanthedon fulvipes
Synanthedon fulvipes is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described by Harris in 1839. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits wasp-mimicking morphology with reduced wing scaling that creates a transparent appearance. The species is part of a group of wood-boring moths whose larvae develop within plant tissues. Specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Synanthedon pini
pitch mass borer, Pitch Mass Borer Moth
Synanthedon pini, commonly known as the pitch mass borer, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. It is found in eastern North America, where it develops in the wood of pine and spruce trees. The larvae create pitch-filled tunnels in the inner bark and sapwood, causing defects in lumber but not killing host trees. Adults are active in mid-summer and have distinctive mostly clear wings.
Synanthedon pyri
Apple Bark Borer
Synanthedon pyri, commonly known as the Apple Bark Borer, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. Adults are diurnal and exhibit wasp mimicry, with transparent wings and wasp-like coloration. Larvae are wood-borers that infest the bark and cambium of fruit trees, particularly apple (Malus spp.), causing damage to commercial orchards. The species is native to North America and has been documented as a pest of economic concern in apple-growing regions.
Synaphaeta guexi
Spotted Tree Borer
Synaphaeta guexi is a longhorn beetle and the sole species in its genus. It inhabits the Pacific coastal region of North America, from British Columbia to California. The species develops in hardwood trees and is known by the common name Spotted Tree Borer. It was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1852.
Tetropium
spruce longhorn beetles
Tetropium is a genus of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) containing at least 20 described species, sometimes classified in its own monotypic tribe Tetropiini. Several species are significant forest pests, particularly of spruce (Picea) trees. The genus includes economically important species such as T. fuscum (brown spruce longhorn beetle), an invasive pest in Atlantic Canada, and T. castaneum. Adults are attracted to synthetic pheromones and host tree volatiles, making them amenable to detection and monitoring using baited traps.
Tetropium fuscum
Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle
Tetropium fuscum is a wood-boring cerambycid beetle native to Europe and Northern Asia, established as an invasive species in Atlantic Canada since at least 1990. The species is a documented pest of spruce trees (Picea spp.), with larvae developing in the phloem of host trees. Adult males produce an aggregation pheromone called fuscumol that attracts both sexes, particularly when combined with host tree volatiles. In its introduced Canadian range, it has been observed infesting stressed and moribund red spruce, with larval galleries sometimes girdling stems and causing tree mortality.
Tetropium velutinum
Western Larch Borer
Tetropium velutinum, commonly known as the Western Larch Borer, is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1869. The species is associated with coniferous forests of western North America, particularly with larch trees (Larix spp.) which serve as its larval host. Like other members of the genus Tetropium, adults are typically attracted to recently dead or dying host trees.
Thryallis
Thryallis is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Anisocerini) established by Thomson in 1858. The genus is known to include species that function as wood-boring agricultural pests. Thryallis undatus has been documented damaging Persian lime orchards in Veracruz, Mexico, where larvae tunnel into trunks and branches causing tree mortality. The genus name has been subject to nomenclatural confusion with a plant genus of the same name in Malpighiaceae.
Thryallis undatus
Thryallis undatus is a longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Anisocerini) first described by Chevrolat in 1834. The species has been documented as a pest of Persian lime (Citrus latifolia) in commercial orchards in Veracruz, Mexico, where adults oviposit on trunks and branches and larvae create galleries 2–5 cm deep. This represents the first record of the species associated with the Rutaceae family. Native distribution includes Middle America and North America, with records from Guatemala and Honduras.
Tigrinestola
Tigrinestola is a genus of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Lamiinae, tribe Desmiphorini. It was established by Breuning in 1949 and contains two described species: T. howdeni and T. tigrina. The genus is known from the southwestern United States and Mexico. Tigrinestola tigrina has been documented from oak woodlands in southeastern Arizona, where it has been collected at light and by beating dead oak branches.
Tilloclytus geminatus
Tilloclytus geminatus is a small longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) described by Haldeman in 1847. Adults exhibit effective Batesian ant mimicry, with anterior oblique markings creating the illusion of a constricted "waist" and posterior transverse markings resembling the sheen of a shiny abdomen. The species has been reared from various deciduous hardwoods and has been recorded sporadically across the eastern United States. It is considered infrequently encountered, likely due in part to being overlooked because of its ant-like appearance.
Trachykele blondeli blondeli
Trachykele blondeli blondeli is a subspecies of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) native to western North America. Studies conducted in the 1920s at Pender Harbour, British Columbia, documented its association with red cedar (Thuja plicata), with larvae developing within the wood of living or recently dead trees. The species is among the few Buprestidae for which detailed life history investigations have been attempted, though much remains unknown about its biology.
Trachykele hartmani
Serpentine Cypress Wood-boring Beetle
Trachykele hartmani is a small jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Burke in 1920. It is one of approximately 50 species in the genus Trachykele, a group of wood-boring beetles primarily associated with coniferous hosts. The species is known from the Nearctic region of North America. Like other members of the subtribe Trachykelina, it likely develops in the wood of cypress or related Cupressaceae, though specific host records for this species are not well documented. The common name "Serpentine Cypress Wood-boring Beetle" suggests an association with cypress species.
Trachykele opulenta
Trachykele opulenta is a jewel beetle species in the family Buprestidae, first described by Fall in 1906. It belongs to the subtribe Trachykelina within the tribe Buprestini. The species is part of the Nearctic fauna and has been recorded from British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of its genus, it is a metallic wood-boring beetle with larvae that develop in wood.
Tragidion
Tragidion is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) distributed across North America and Mexico. Species are notable for their bright orange-red and black coloration, which functions in Batesian mimicry of tarantula hawk wasps (Pompilidae: Pepsis, Hemipepsis). The genus contains eleven recognized species, with seven occurring in North America and four restricted to Mexico. Taxonomic clarity was recently provided by Swift & Ray (2008), who described two new species, revalidated one from synonymy, and proposed four new synonymies to resolve long-standing identification challenges.
Tremex columba
pigeon tremex, pigeon horntail
Tremex columba is a large horntail wasp native to North America. Females possess a prominent ovipositor used to drill into dead or dying hardwood trees to deposit eggs. The species has an obligate symbiotic relationship with the wood-rotting fungus Daedalea unicolor, which females introduce during oviposition and which larvae require for development. Larval development takes one to two years, during which they tunnel through fungus-infected wood. The species is not harmful to humans and does not sting.
Trichinorhipis knulli
Knull's Metallic Wood-boring Beetle
Trichinorhipis knulli is a minute jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) endemic to southern California, where it occurs in Riverside and Imperial Counties. It is the sole member of its monotypic genus, distinguished from related genera by its entire elytra covering the full abdomen and broadly rounded pronotum lacking lateral margins. Males exhibit highly modified flabellate antennae with expanded lamellae bearing numerous olfactory sensillae, an adaptation for detecting female sex pheromones. The species is rarely encountered in the field; most specimens have been reared from dead branches of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis). At 3.6 mm, it is among the smallest buprestids.
Trichocnemis spiculatus neomexicanus
New Mexican ponderous borer
Trichocnemis spiculatus neomexicanus is a subspecies of the ponderous borer, a large prionine longhorn beetle native to western North America. The larvae are among the largest of any North American cerambycid, developing in dead or dying coniferous wood—particularly ponderosa pine. Adults are nocturnal and attracted to lights. This subspecies was described by Casey in 1890 and occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species has gained notoriety as the inspiration for modern chainsaw design, after Joe Cox observed the larva's opposable mandibles in action.
Trichodesma texana
Trichodesma texana is a death-watch beetle in the family Ptinidae, described by Schaeffer in 1903. It belongs to a genus of small wood-boring beetles commonly associated with dead or decaying wood. The species is known from North America, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. Like other members of Ptinidae, it likely plays a role in wood decomposition.
Trichoferus
Trichoferus is a genus of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) established by Wollaston in 1854, containing at least 20 described species. Several species have become economically significant as invasive wood-boring pests, with Trichoferus campestris (velvet longhorned beetle) being particularly well-documented for its worldwide expansion through international trade. The genus includes both native and introduced species with documented associations with living trees, cut wood, and wood packaging material.
Trichoferus campestris
velvet longhorned beetle
Trichoferus campestris is a wood-boring longhorn beetle native to eastern Asia that has become an invasive species in North America and Europe. Adults are active from early summer, with peak abundance around 650 degree-days (base 10°C) in early July in Minnesota. The species is polyphagous, with documented reproduction on multiple hardwood species including Acer platanoides, Juglans nigra, and Malus domestica. Larvae develop in woody material and can complete development in cut branches.
Trogoxylon
Trogoxylon is a genus of powderpost beetles in the family Bostrichidae, subfamily Lyctinae. These wood-boring beetles are characterized by their association with dry, seasoned wood. The genus includes approximately 15 described species distributed across multiple regions. Trogoxylon impressum has been documented as a pest of fig plants in Turkey, where it causes damage through larval tunneling.
Tylonotus bimaculatus
Ash and Privet Borer
Tylonotus bimaculatus is a longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) described by Haldeman in 1847. Commonly known as the Ash and Privet Borer, this species is documented across North America with over 1,000 iNaturalist observations. As a member of the subfamily Cerambycinae and tribe Hesperophanini, it belongs to a group of wood-boring beetles whose larvae typically develop in hardwood trees.
Typocerus velutinus
Banded Longhorn, Banded Longhorn Beetle
Typocerus velutinus is a common and widespread flower longhorn beetle (subfamily Lepturinae) found across eastern North America. Adults are diurnal and feed on flowers, while larvae develop in decaying wood of hardwood trees. The species is frequently encountered on wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and other flowering plants during summer months. It serves as a pollinator and is an important component of forest ecosystem food webs. Two subspecies are recognized: T. v. velutinus and T. v. nobilis.
Urgleptes querci
Oak Long-horned Beetle
Urgleptes querci is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Asa Fitch in 1858. It is a small to medium-sized cerambycid native to eastern North America, where it develops in dead wood of various hardwood trees. The species is highly polyphagous and has been recorded from multiple host plants including oak, pawpaw, and other deciduous trees. Adults are active during the growing season and are likely nocturnal or crepuscular, as is typical for many Lamiinae.
Valgus hemipterus
Valgus hemipterus is a small scarab beetle in the subfamily Cetoniinae, measuring 6–10 mm in length. The species is notable for pronounced sexual dimorphism: females possess an elongated, acuminate telson with a central groove and lateral serrations, a trait unusual among beetles, while males exhibit a different scale pattern and are more frequently observed on flowers. It has one generation per year and overwinters as a pupa.
Xenorhipis brendeli
Xenorhipis brendeli is a metallic wood-boring beetle (family Buprestidae) notable for extreme sexual dimorphism in antennae. Males possess highly modified, flabellate (comb-like) antennae with expanded distal segments covered in olfactory sensillae, while females retain the unmodified serrate antennae typical of the family. This species is the only member of its tribe occurring in eastern North America, ranging west to Minnesota and eastern Texas. Adults are short-lived, with males living no longer than 48 hours, and exhibit a narrow daily activity window focused on mate location via female-released pheromones.
Xiphydria abdominalis
Xiphydria abdominalis is a species of wood-wasp in the family Xiphydriidae, a group of sawflies that develop in decaying wood. The genus Xiphydria contains approximately 15 species in North America. These insects are associated with dead and dying hardwood trees, where larvae tunnel in the wood. Adults are diurnal and have been observed flying near host material. The species is part of a guild of wood-inhabiting insects that play important roles in forest decomposition processes.
Xiphydria tibialis
Xiphydria tibialis is a species of wood wasp in the family Xiphydriidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. It is one of several species in the genus Xiphydria, which are known as wood wasps due to their larvae developing in dead or dying wood. The species is native to North America. Limited observational data exists for this species, with only 8 documented observations on iNaturalist as of the source date.
Xorides
Xorides is a genus of ichneumon wasps (family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Xoridinae) comprising at least 150 described species. Members are ectoparasitoids of wood-boring beetle larvae, particularly in the families Cerambycidae and Buprestidae. Females possess elongated ovipositors adapted for drilling through wood to reach concealed hosts. The genus has a global distribution spanning the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, and Nearctic regions, with substantial diversity in China and Europe.
Xyleborus
ambrosia beetles, bark beetles
Xyleborus is a genus of ambrosia beetles in the family Curculionidae (subfamily Scolytinae). These small wood-boring beetles are characterized by their obligate symbiotic relationship with ambrosia fungi, which they cultivate in galleries carved into host trees and use as their primary food source. Several species have become significant invasive pests, including Xyleborus glabratus (redbay ambrosia beetle), which vectors the fungus causing laurel wilt disease. The genus includes both native and introduced species with varying degrees of host specificity.
Xyleborus affinis
sugarcane shot-hole borer
Xyleborus affinis is a highly widespread ambrosia beetle native to the American tropics, now found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It cultivates symbiotic fungi in galleries bored into decaying wood, feeding exclusively on these fungal gardens. The species exhibits facultative eusociality with delayed dispersal of adult offspring, who assist with nest maintenance and brood care. Females are the dispersing sex and are strongly attracted to ethanol and specific host plant volatiles. Despite frequent association with declining trees, it primarily colonizes wood already in early decay rather than causing primary mortality.
Xylobiops parilis
Xylobiops parilis is a species of wood-boring beetle in the family Bostrichidae, first described by Lesne in 1901. Members of the genus Xylobiops are known as false powderpost beetles, characterized by their association with dead or dying wood. The species has been recorded from North America, Middle America, and the Caribbean. Like other bostrichids, it likely develops in hardwood substrates and contributes to wood decomposition.
Xylosandrus crassiusculus
Granulate Ambrosia Beetle, Asian Ambrosia Beetle
Xylosandrus crassiusculus is a small ambrosia beetle native to tropical and subtropical Asia that has become one of the most successful invasive wood-boring beetles globally. Adults are reddish-brown, 2–3 mm long, and exhibit a specialized fungus-farming mutualism. Females excavate galleries in wood, introduce the symbiotic fungus Ambrosiella roeperi, and cultivate it as the sole food source for themselves and their offspring. The species is polyphagous on broadleaf trees and shrubs, infesting stressed nursery stock, young trees, and stacked timber, causing economic damage in forestry and agriculture.
Xylotrechus colonus
rustic borer, rustic borer beetle
A medium-sized longhorn beetle in the tribe Clytini, known for its distinctive black elytra with variable grey bands and a sinuous yellow mark near the base. The species was described by Fabricius in 1775 and is common in eastern North American woodlands. Larvae are wood-borers in oak sapwood, while adults feed on nectar of composite flowers including goldenrod.
Xylotrechus insignis
Willow Borer
Xylotrechus insignis is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1873. Commonly known as the Willow Borer, this beetle is recognized for its wood-boring larvae that tunnel into willow trees and related hosts, potentially causing significant damage or tree mortality. Adults measure 12–16 mm in length. The species is native to North America, with records from the United States and Mexico.
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.
Zeuzera pyrina
leopard moth, wood leopard moth
Zeuzera pyrina is a medium-sized wood-boring moth in the family Cossidae, commonly known as the leopard moth or wood leopard moth. Adults are highly distinctive with white wings marked by numerous black spots, giving the species its common name. The larvae are xylophagous pests that tunnel into the wood of fruit trees and other deciduous hosts, causing significant economic damage in orchards worldwide. The species is native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia, and has been introduced to the northeastern United States.
Zopherus nodulosus
Ironclad beetle
Zopherus nodulosus is a species of ironclad beetle in the family Zopheridae, named for the nodular bumps on its dorsal surface. The species occurs in Central America and North America, with recognized subspecies including Z. n. haldemani (Texas ironclad beetle) and Z. n. nodulosus. These beetles possess exceptionally hardened exoskeletons that make them notoriously difficult to pin, a trait shared with other members of the genus Zopherus.