The Southern pine beetle: Dendroctonus frontalis [2008]

The Southern Pine Beetle Dendroctonus frontalis

Interesting Facts about Southern Pine Beetles
Since 1972, over $250 million worth of pine timber has been destroyed in Georgia, and if all the trees killed were placed endto-end they would reach to the moon eight times.
Even though the Southern Pine Beetle is as small as an ant, it causes more damage to pine timber in Georgia than all other insects or diseases combined.
Once a pine is attacked, around 10,000 Southern Pine Beetles can be produced in a single tree.
Pines are most susceptible to Southern Pine Beetles when they are stressed by drought (especially prolonged drought), flooding, storm damage, or by stand conditions such as overcrowding, old age, or root disease.
This coloring book was produced by the Georgia Forestry Commission, graphic design by Linda Chandler.
Funds for this publication are provided by the USDA Forest Service/Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Program.

Southern Pine Beetles attack and kill many species of pine trees. When beetles bore into the bark of a tree,
small masses of resin, called pitch tubes, appear.

Underneath the bark, in the cambium of the tree, adult beetles create winding galleries as they feed and lay eggs.

Adult beetles carry a type of fungus that stops water movement within the tree. Without water, the tree will die.

Outbreaks of the Southern Pine Beetle kill millions of dollars worth of pine timber and landscape pines every year.

Natural enemies, such as the Downy Woodpecker, can help maintain low populations of the Southern Pine Beetle.

Overcrowded pine stands and trees that have been weakened by lightning strikes or disease are more susceptible to Southern Pine Beetle infestations.

With proper management and knowledge of the Southern Pine Beetle, we can help keep our forests healthy.