Preferential Attack by Dendroctonus terebrans on Pinus elliottii

Abstract

Attacks of Dendroctonus terebrans(Olivier) on Pinus elliottii Engelm., were followed for about 3 years in northeast Florida. Monthly records were kept of the number of attacks on each living tree. The incidence of attack per category of tree was about 20 times greater on previously attacked trees than on those previously unattacked. Thus, this beetle is highly attracted by other attacks and exhibits, somewhat, the “mass attack” habit noted for other Scolytids, particularly Dendroctonus and Ips.