Southern Pine Beetle

The southern pine beetle is one of the most destructive pests of pines in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. This insect killed approximately 4.5 million board feet of pine timber from 1973 through 1977 in the southern United States. The beetle occurs from Pennsylvania to Texas and from New Mexico and Arizona to Honduras. It attacks and can kill all species of pines, but prefers loblolly, shortleaf, Virginia, pond, and pitch pines.

The adults bore directly through the outer bark into the living bark. At each point of attack, the tree usually exudes resin which forms a small pitch tube about the size of a small piece of popped popcorn. Adult beetles construct winding, S-shaped galleries, which cut across one another and girdle the tree. Blue-stain fungi in the sapwood, introduced by the beetles, hasten the death of the tree. The first indication of tree mortality is discoloration of the foliage. Needles become yellowish, change to a red color, and-finally turn brown. Trees may be killed singly or in groups, ranging from a few trees to several hundred acres.

Natural enemies, such as diseases, parasites, predators and weather, help maintain beetle populations at low levels and bring cyclic outbreaks under control. Integrated pest management may be achieved through any one or all of the following suppression techniques: rapid salvage and utilization of infested trees, piling and burning of infested materials, chemical control in high value resources, and cut-and-leave (May through October).

Related resources

• The Southern Pine Beetle
• Forestry Service Handbook
• Other Bark Beetles

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