| Dendroctonus brevicomis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Life stages of D. brevicomis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Curculionidae |
| Genus: | Dendroctonus |
| Species: | D. brevicomis |
| Binomial name | |
| Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte, 1876 | |
Dendroctonus brevicomis, the western pine beetle, is a species of crenulate bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is found in North America [1] [2] [3] and parts of Mexico. [4] It is known as a destructive pest of ponderosa and Coulter pine trees. [5] When drought makes these pines more susceptible to infestations by D. brevicomis, there is an increased risk of forest fires due to dead trees. [6]
Adult D. brevicomis are brown or black beetles 3–5 mm in length. Females carve lengthy egg galleries in the wood, damaging the trees. [5]
