Xylomycetophagous
Guides
Xyleborinus saxesenii
fruit-tree pinhole borer, Keyhole Ambrosia Beetle
Xyleborinus saxesenii is a small ambrosia beetle native to the Palaearctic region that has become one of the most widespread invasive ambrosia beetles globally. It exhibits facultative eusociality with cooperative breeding, where adult daughters delay dispersal to assist with brood care, fungus farming, and nest maintenance. The species cultivates Raffaelea sulphurea as its primary fungal mutualist, though it has been observed to feed on wood tissue as well, making it xylomycetophagous. It primarily colonizes dead or dying wood but has been documented attacking live trees, including economically important species such as chestnut and apple, causing concern in forestry and orchard management.
Xylosandrus
Xylosandrus is a genus of ambrosia beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae, family Curculionidae, containing approximately 54 species globally. The type species is Xyleborus morigerus (Blandford, 1894). Species in this genus are fungus-farming beetles that excavate gallery chambers in wood, introduce symbiotic fungi, and feed on fungal growth rather than wood tissue. Several species, including X. crassiusculus and X. germanus, have become invasive pests of ornamental and fruit trees in North America and elsewhere.