Insect star shaped gallery in conifer wood - Ips

Moved

Moved from Bark and Ambrosia Beetles.

This is certainly an Ips gallery. If I were to guess I would say I. pini.

… Marc DiGirolomo, 7 April, 2018 - 7:35am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.
Yes, these are galleries of polygamous bark beetles, as =v= suggested, with each of the radiating channels carved by a different female. A bark beetle specialist has been visiting from time to time, so you just might get a species level ID. It might help if you knew what species of conifer this was.

… Charley Eiseman, 24 January, 2011 - 6:47pm

there is a good chance it was Lodgepole Pine

Charlie - there is a good chance it was Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta. There was a lot of it dead in the area. It is on the west side of Rocky Mountain NP in the Kawuneeche Valley. Quite a bit of Subalpine fir here also but the pines had really taken a hit. thanks again - Rob

… Ann and Rob Simpson, 1 February, 2011 - 9:21pm

look like bark beetle galleries

as far as i can tell, the 'hub' is the mating chamber from where ovipositing galleries radiate, maybe built by a different female each; the ovoid chambers are where the pupation occurs. an expert would be able to tell genus or even species from this pattern.

… v belov, 23 January, 2011 - 7:16pm

Thanks a bunch

We were wondering if this is the Pine Bark Beetle that is having an outbreak and killing large numbers of pines in the park?

… Ann and Rob Simpson, 23 January, 2011 - 8:33pm