Pine Bark Beetle Life Cycle

Eggs

• The female bark beetle will lay her eggs, which typically are oval-shaped and white, under the outer bark layer of a pine tree.

Larvae to Pupae

• These eggs will hatch, and the resulting larvae will dig out galleries--tiny, narrow tunnels--into the bark that the larvae will widen as they get larger themselves. In time, the larvae change to pupae, which are noticeably fatter and have a white color.

Adults

• The adult pine bark beetle comes out of the pupae stage when they develop fully, with the temperature a key factor in the time frame of this event. The adult beetles have the option of eating the tree they are on or making their way to other pines.

Generations

• The pine bark beetle can have multiple generations in a single year. Depending on species and temperature, the bark beetle can have a life cycle that lasts from 25 days to 16 weeks, producing as many as six generations in one year's time.

Effects

• In a normal forest setting, the pine bark beetle is a beneficial insect, eliminating dying and weak trees. However, when an entire tree population experiences stress from weather like hurricanes or severe drought, this beetle can greatly damage a forest ecosystem.