Beetle Gallery Worm Trails Left Under Tree Bark In FingerLakes NYS Royalty-Free Stock Photo

A beetle gallery - The gallery is carved into the tree’s phloem, or inner bark, by female beetles and their larvae. Some species of beetles carve a specific pattern, while others carve random grooves. The galleries are often beautiful but beetle attacks are deadly. Typically, beetles attack trees already weakened by disease, wind damage, fire, or other reasons, but attacks often spill over into healthy trees. Beetles are drawn to a particular tree by pheromones emitted as other beetles bore their tunnels. A beetle attack destroys the tree’s ability to transport food and nutrients, killing the tree. The female beetle bores a straight tunnel into the phloem, while the male follows. After mating, she lays her eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae bore their own tunnels to create cozy nests to spend the winter in while they metamorphose into pupae and finally, adults. When ready to leave the nest, they munch tiny escape holes in the tree. Found in Ithaca Cornell University nature walk.