Pine Sawyer Beetles

As their name indicates, the Pine Sawyer Beetle’s hosts are pine trees. Several species of their long horned wood boring beetles attach and breed in various conifers. The term sawyer is actually in relation to the loud noises created by the larvae as they feed on the tree. Both adults and larvae most frequently infest fresh cut, stressed, dying or recently dead trees. Larvae feed on multiple layers of the tree and feed in a U-shaped pattern, starting by boring into the wood and then as they grow, turning and boring back towards the surface. Just below the surface, the larva then pupates and the emerging adult finishes chewing to the surface. During summer, the pine sawyer’s life cycle (egg to adult) is roughly 50-60 days; however, as the beetles do not have a synchronized emergence, multiple stages of the life cycle are typically found on a single tree at any given time and adults will emerge during warm weather periods year round. Pine Sawyer Beetles are found throughout a majority of the United States. Larvae are legless and grub like, where as adults are hard-shelled and at times have contrasting bands, spots or stripes on their exterior wing covers. Pesticide applications are typically not effective against this species due to their ability to continue their life cycle and have adults emerge throughout the year.