- 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
Ips Bark Beetles in the Southeastern U.S.
Four species of Ips bark beetles live in the southeastern U.S., all with similar biology, ecology, and life cycles. Ips bark beetles primarily colonize pine trees, but may also use other conifers. Adult beetles are small (<1/4”), brown, and cylinder shaped with spines on the back end. Male beetles enter the tree, boring to the phloem, and release chemicals that travel through the air and attract females. These females arrive, mate, complete gallery construction with the male, and lay eggs in the gallery. Larvae feed in the phloem, and exit the tree when development is complete. In the Deep South, Ips bark beetles can have 8-10 generations per year. These beetles generally do not attack healthy trees – rather, they are attracted to trees that are already stressed, weakened, injured, or dying. Direct control using insecticides may be possible for high-value trees, while stand management tactics that promote healthy forests will minimize risk in other areas.