Insects Index
Asian Longhorned Beetle
Anoplophora glabripennis
Elm Zigzag Sawfly
Aproceros leucopoda
Emerald Ash Borer
Agrilus planipennis
Fall Cankerworm
Alsophila pometaria
Forest Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstria
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Adelges tsugae
Ips Bark Beetles
Ips spp.
Sirex Woodwasp
Sirex noctilio
Southern Pine Beetle
Dendroctonus frontalis
Spongy Moth
Lymantria dispar
Spotted Lanternfly
Lycorma delicatula
Gerald Lenhard, Lousiana State University, Bugwood.org

The Southern Pine Beetle

University of Tennessee, 2010
L. Tankersley

The southern pine beetle is the most destructive native pest of southern pines in North and Central America. This small black beetle occurs throughout the southeastern U.S., north to New England, parts of Mexico, and south to Nicaragua. Females initiate attacks, release pheromones that combine with host odors to attract both males and other females, causing a mass attack. Following mating, females lay eggs beneath the bark along the sides of S-shaped galleries. Low levels of beetle attacks may be thwarted by tree resin defenses, but many beetles can eclipse the tree’s natural defense capabilities. In the southern part of its range, several generations may occur in one year. Successfully attacked trees turn yellow, then red, then brown, and generally occur in tight pockets or "spots". Natural enemies, including insects and birds, can help suppress southern pine beetle populations. Thinning and prescribed burning, when appropriate, are effective silvicultural methods to reduce stand susceptibility to southern pine beetle.Salvage removal (cut-and-remove) and a method called "cut-and-leave" are effective for suppressing expanding infestations during outbreaks.

 
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