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 65 genera and 200 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: t[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)
Dryocoetoides
reticulatus Atkinson
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
carniniceps LeConte
concentralis Eichhoff
confusus Blanford
consimilis LeConte
crinalis Blackman
dentifrons Blackman
juglandis Blackman, walnut twig beetle
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, redbay ambrosia beetle
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)
