Dendroctonus frontalis


Dendroctonus frontalis, the southern pine beetle, is a species of bark beetle native to the forests of southern United States, Mexico and Central America. It has a hard reddish brown to black exoskeleton and measures approximately, about the size of a grain of rice. It is short-legged, the front of the males head is notched, the female possesses a wide elevated transverse ridge, and the hind abdomen of both is round.

Tree infestations

Dendroctonus frontalis inhabits several Pinus species. Host trees in the United States include primarily P. taeda, P. echinata, P. elliottii, P. virginiana, P. rigida, P. palustris, P. serotina, P. pungens and P. strobes, P. ponderosa, P. engelmannii and P. leiophylla. Host trees in Central America include P. caribaea, P. engelmannii, P. leiophylla, P. maximinoi and P. oocarpa. In the south-eastern United States it is considered one of the most important causes of economic loss in forestry. About $900 million worth of damage was caused by this species from 1960 to 1990 in the southern United States.