IS THE PINE ENGRAVER BEETLE (IPS) THE SAME INSECT?
While the pine engraver beetle is closely related to the mountain pine beetle, it is an entirely different insect. The pine engraver beetle is common to the Black Hills and it also attacks pines, but its life cycle and the management recommendations are different (Figure 2). The pine engraver beetle often first attacks the tops of the trees while mountain pine beetle attacks are along the lower of the tree. Mountain pine beetle attacks generally result in the formation of pitch tubes while pitch tubes are rare with pine engraver beetle attacks. The galleries created beneath the bark are different. Mountain pine beetles form one large gallery with many smaller ones constructed perpendicular from the main one (Figure 3). Pine engraver beetles have several large galleries radiating out from a central location (Figure 4). WHERE IS THE MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE FOUND? The mountain pine beetle is found throughout western North America from British Columbia to northern Mexico. It can be found thro
