Pine Bark Beetles

G. Keith Douce, Professor of Entomology, The University of Georgia.

Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, The University of Georgia Bulletin 1097, October 1993, 8 pp.

Abstract

Pines in Georgia and across the southeast are subject to attack by at least six species of bark beetles. All pine bark beetles common in Georgia can attack and kill living trees. Bark beetle populations and their subsequent damage varies greatly between years and by location within any given year. Statewide, damage and losses of pines caused by bark beetles can range from less that $100,000 to more than $25 million per year. In addition to phloem damage caused by larval and adult feeding, some bark beetle species carry and introduce a blue stain fungus into a tree that colonizes sapwood and disrupts water flow to the tree crown, hastening tree death. This, coupled with the ability of some beetle species to rapidly spread, infest and kill adjacent trees means that it is extremely important for forest owners and managers to recognize signs of bark beetle attack and to identify the beetle species causing the attack.

With the information contained in this publication the landowner, forest manager or homeowner can: recognize pine bark beetle infestations, identify the bark beetle(s) causing the problem, understand basic biological information about each bark beetle species, learn about techniques that can be employed to deal with bark beetles, and locate other sources of help and information about pine bark beetles.

Contents

1. Background Information
2. Recognizing Infestations
3. Indentification, Biology and Management
   1. Black Turpentine Beetle
   2. Southern Pine Beetle
   3. Ips Beetles
4. How to Reduce Infestation Probability
5. What To Do If There Is A Nearby Infestation
6. What Can You Do If Pine Beetles Are On Your Property
   1. If You Have Landscape Pines
   2. You Have Commercial Pine Stands
7. Selected References