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Bark beetles can be a difficult group for identification. This tool is designed for first responders with minimal entomological training. It is also rigorous enough for entomology students and professionals. Numerous illustrations and a convenient glossary of terms should simplify some of the normal difficulties. The matrix design makes it possible for the user to choose the identification characters that are most visible or most familiar rather than being required to struggle with the authors' designated characters to work through the key. Sometimes only two or three characters are required, rather than 13-18 that might be needed in a normal dichotomous key.

This tool uses Lucid v.3.4.1 technology to separate genera of Curculionidae bark beetle subfamily Scolytinae, of the southeastern United States, that are classified into the two tribes Hylesinini and Scolytini. Be sure to read "How to Use This Key" to view the two main characters dividing these two groups. In many cases it will provide direct species identification. For those genera which are represented by more than one species that this tool does not separate, simple dichotomous keys to species are presented that can be accessed by linking to the genus name. Therefore species identification is possible in most situations. Most dichotomous keys are based on Stephen L. Wood’s 1982 "The Bark and Ambrosia Beetles of North and Central America (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), a Taxonomic Monograph". Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs No. 6: 1- 1359.

This is a comprehensive tool containing approximately 64 genera and 196 species. However, a few rare species that may be listed in other catalogues for this region may not be listed here because of their obscurity or lack or having been reported found by anyone for many years. A few species are included that, though not currently reported in the southeastern United States, are expected to be reported here in the future. They are noted as such.

To report any problems or errors in this tool, or if there is an important species that you feel needs to be included in this tool, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected].

This tool contains more than 14,000 images. Following is a list of species that are found in this key. All features used pertain to adult females.

Tribe Hylesinini

Carphoborus bifurcus Eichhoff
Chaetophloeus
   heterodoxus (Casey), mountain mahogany bark beetle
   insularis (Blackman)
Chramesus
   chapuisi LeConte
   hickoriae LeConte
   subopacus Schaeffer
   wisteriae Wood
Cnesinus strigicolis LeConte
Dendroctonus
   frontalis Zimmermann, southern pine beetle
   punctatus LeConte, Allegheny/boreal spruce beetle (probably not in Southeast)
   rufipennis (Kirby), spruce bark beetle
   terebrans (Olivier), black turpentine beetle
   valens LeConte, red turpentine beetle
Dendrosinus bourreriae
Hylastes
   porculus Erichson
   salebrosus Eichhoff
   tenuis Eichhoff
Hylastinus obscurus Marsham, clover root borer
Hylesinus
   aculeatus Say, eastern ash bark beetle
   pruinosus Eichhoff
Hylurgopinus rufipes (Eichhoff), native elm bark beetle
Hylurgops rugipennis pinifex (Fitch)
Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius)
Liparthrum squamosum
(Blackman)
Pagiocerus frontalis (Fabricius), seed beetle
Phloeotribus
   dentifrons (Blackman)
   frontalis (Olivier)
   limnaris (Harris), peach bark beetle
   texanus Schaeffer
Phloeosinus
   taxodii taxodii Blackman
   dentatus (Say)

Tribe Scolytini

Anisandrus
    dispar (Fabricius)
    obesus (LeConte)
    sayi (Hopkins), eastern twig ambrosia beetle
Ambrosiodmus
     devexulus (Wood)
     lecontei (Hopkins)
     obliquus (LeConte)
     opimus Wood
     rubicollis (Eichhoff)
     tachygraphus Zimmermann
Araptus
     dentifrons
Wood
     politus (Blandford) (perhaps not established)
Cnemonyx
     ficus
(Schwarz)
     vagabundus (Wood)
Cnestus
    mutilatus (Blandford)
Coccotrypes
     advena
(Blandford)
     carpophagus (Hornung)
     cyperi (Beeson)
     dactyliperda (Fabricius)
     distinctus (Motschulsky)
     rhizophorae (Hopkins)
     robustus Eichhoff
     vulgaris (Eggers)
Conophthorus
     coniperda
(Schwarz), white pine cone beetle
Coptoborus
     pseudotenuis (Schedl)
Corthylus
     columbianus
Hopkins
     papulans Eichhoff (= spinifer Schwarz)
     punctatissimus (Zimmerman), pitted ambrosia beetle
Cryphalus
     ruficollis fraseri
Hopkins
Cryptocarenus
     heveae
(Hagedorn)
     seriatus Eggers
Crypturgus
     alutaceus
Schwarz
Dendrocranulus
     carbonarius
(Ferrari) = floridensis (Hopkins)
     knausi (Hopkins)
Dryocoetes
     affaber
(Mannerheim)
     autographus (Ratzeburg)
     betulae Hopkins, birch bark beetle
     caryi Hopkins
     granicollis (LeConte)
Dryoxylon
     onoharensis
(Murayama, 1934)
Euwallacea
     fornicatus (Eichhoff)
    validus Eichhoff
Gnathotrichus
     materiarius
(Fitch), American utilizable wood bark beetle
Hylocurus
     bicornus
(Blackman)
     binodatus Wood
     floridensis Atkinson
     harnedi (Blackman)
     langstoni (Blackman)
     rudis (LeConte)
     spadix Blackman
Hypocryphalus
     mangiferae
(Stebbing)
Hypothenemus
     africanus
(Hopkins)
     areccae (Hornung)
     birmanus (Eichhoff)
     brunneus (Hopkins)
     californicus Hopkins
     columbi Hopkins
     crudiae (Panzer)
     dissimilis (Zimmermann) (=chapuisi (Eichhoff))
     erectus LeConte
     eruditus Westwood
     gossypii (Hopkins)
     hirsutus (Wood)
     interstitialis (Hopkins)
     javanus (Eggers)
     miles (LeConte)
     obscurus (Fabricius)
     pubescens Hopkins
     rotundicollis (Eichhoff) (=quercus (Hopkins))
     seriatus (Eichhoff)
     setosus (Eichhoff)
     squamosus (Hopkins)
     sundaensis (Eggers)* prob not established in US
Ips
     avulsus (Eichoff), small southern pine engraver
     calligraphus calligraphus (Germar), eastern six-spined engraver beetle
     grandicollis (Eichhoff), eastern fivespined engraver beetle or southern pine engraver
     pini (Say), pine engraver
     sexdentatus (Boerner)
     typographus (Linnaeus), European spruce bark beetle
Lymantor
     decipiens
(LeConte)
Micracis
     suturalis LeConte
     swainei Blackman
Micracisella
     nanula
(LeConte) [syn. opacithorax]
     opacicollis (LeConte)
Monarthrum
     fasciatum
(Say), yellow-banded timber beetle
     mali (Fitch), apple wood stainer
Orthotomicus
     caelatus
(Eichhoff)
     erosus (Wollaston), Mediterranean pine engraver beetle
Pityoborus
     comatus
(Zimmermann)
Pityogenes
     chalcographus
(Linnaeus), six-toothed spruce bark beetle
     hopkinsi Swaine, chestnut brown bark beetle
     meridianus Blackman
     plagiatus (Leconte)
Pityophthorus
     annectans
LeConte
     balsameus Blackman
     borrichiae Wood
     concentralis Eichhoff
     confusus Blanford
     crinalis Blackman
     dentifrons Blackman
     juglandis Blackman, not in SE US as of 2009
     lautus Eichhoff
     liquidambarus Blackman
     pecki Atkinson
     puberulus (LeConte)
     pulchellus Eichhoff
     pulicarius (Zimmermann)
     pullus (Zimmermann)
     scriptor Blackman
Premnobius
     cavipennis
Eichhoff
Pseudopityophthorus
     asperulus
(LeConte)
     minutissimus (Zimmermann), small oak bark beetle
     pruinosus (Eichhoff), larger oak bark beetle
     pubescens Blackman
Pseudothysanoes
     dislocatus
(Blackman)
     lecontei Blackman
     securigerus (Blackman)
Pycnarthrum
     hispidum
(Ferrari)
Scolytodes
     schwarzi
(Hopkins)
Scolytogenes
     jalapae
(Letzner) (not established)
     knabi (Hopkins)
Scolytus
     fagi
Walsh
     mali (Bechstein), larger shothole borer
     multistriatus (Marsham), smaller Euro elm bark beetle
     muticus Say, hackberry engraver
     quadrispinosus Say, hickory bark beetle
     rugulosus (Muller), shothole borer
     schevyrewi Semenov, banded elm bark beetle, not in SE US as of 2009
Theoborus
     ricini
(Eggers, 1932) = solitariceps Schedl
Thysanoes
     berchemiae
Blackman
     fimbricornis LeConte
     lobdelli Blackman
Trischidias
     atoma
(Hopkins)
     exigua Wood
     georgiae Hopkins
     minutissima Wood
     striatus Atkinson
Trypodendron
     lineatum
(Olivier), striped ambrosia beetle
     scabricollis (LeConte)
Xyleborinus
     andrewesi
(Blandford)
     aspericauda
(Eggers)
     gracilis (Eichhoff)
     saxeseni (Ratzeburg), lesser shothole borer
Xyleborus
     affinis
(Eichhoff), oak-hickory ambrosia beetle, sugarcane shot-hole borer
     atratus Eichhoff
     californicus Wood
     celsus Eichhoff, hickory timber beetle
     ferrugineus (Fabricius) cosmopolitan ambrosia beetle
     glabratus Eichhoff
     horridus Eichhoff
     impressus Eichhoff
     intrusus Blandford
     pelliculosus Eichhoff
     pfeili (Ratzeburg)
     planicollis Zimmermann
     pubescens (Zimmermann)
     similis Ferrari
     viduus Eichhoff
     volvulus (Fabricius)
     xylographus (Say), oak timber beetle
Xylosandrus
     compactus
(Eichhoff), black twig borer
     crassiusculus (Motschulsky), granulate ambrosia beetle (former Asian ambrosia beetle)
     germanus (Blandford), black stem borer
     morigerus (Blandford), red shothole borer
     zimmermanni (Hopkins)
Xyloterinus
     politus
(Say)

water color of tree tops

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