Exotic scolytids of the Great Lakes region

Abstract

There are at least 44 exotic species of Scolytidae established in North America north of Mexico, of which 16 species can be found in the Great Lakes region (see Table). Scolytids occupy many niches, but the two most common groups are the true bark beetles and the ambrosia beetles (Poland and Haack 1998). Adult bark beetles, as their name implies, construct galleries under the bark of woody plants. Eggs are laid in niches along the gallery walls. The larvae feed primarily on the inner bark (phloem)tissue, then pupate, and emerge as adults. Ambrosia beetles typically tunnel into the wood (xylem), and construct simple to many-branched galleries Larvae develop in the galleries and feed on fungi("ambrosia") that grows along the gallery walls. Other species of Scolytidae construct galleries and lay eggs in seeds, cones, twigs, and roots.

Citation

Haack, Robert A. 2001. Exotic scolytids of the Great Lakes region. Newsletter of the Michigan Entomological Society. Vol. 46, no. 3 (Aug. 2001).:p. 6-7.