Pine Bark Beetle Life Cycle
As many as 600 different types of pine bark beetles exist in Canada and the United States, with a number of these pests affecting pines and other coniferous trees.
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Eggs
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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
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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.
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Adults
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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
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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
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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.
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