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Pityogenes chalcographus

Six-toothed spruce bark beetle

Description

The beetle’s body is short, cylindrical, brown-black (black pronotum, brownish elytra) and glossy. This beetle is rather small for bark beetles, being only 1.6–2.8 mm long. The adults of the first generation occur in spring – April and May. The male is joined in the nuptial chamber by 3–6 females that, after mating, bore radial star shaped maternal galleries. The nuptial chamber is hidden in the bark and is not visible in the wood, which makes the insect galleries distinct from those of similar species. There are 2 or 3 generations in a year. The pest invades thinner barked trunks, branches and tops of felled, windthrown or weakened trees. In case of outbreak it may become a primary killer of even healthy trees in stands aged between 10 and 40 years. Often shares its habitat with the eighttoothed spruce bark beetle.

Symptom

The nuptial chamber is hidden in the bark and is not visible in the wood which makes the insect galleries distinct from those of similar species.

Tree Species: Pine, Spruce, Larch

Part of a plant- attacked: Tree trunk, Branch

Pest significance: Very harmful

Pest Category: Insects

Invasive Species: No

Present in EU: Yes

Last observations

There are a total of 16 observations of the species in the system

Pityogenes chalcographus Six-toothed spruce bark beetle
Nikolas Janočo
Number of votes: 0
Published: 6.6.2025

Pityogenes chalcographus Six-toothed spruce bark beetle
Simona Višňovská
Number of votes: 0
Published: 5.6.2025

Pityogenes chalcographus Six-toothed spruce bark beetle
Simona Janočová
Number of votes: 0
Published: 23.4.2025

Pityogenes chalcographus Six-toothed spruce bark beetle
Dominik Irha
Number of votes: 0
Published: 28.1.2025

Pityogenes chalcographus Six-toothed spruce bark beetle
teuchestes
Number of votes: 0
Published: 20.8.2024