We are happy to help you identify bark or ambrosia beetles, no matter what type or where they are from. We are very grateful to the agencies that support us in our service to the global forest health and forest entomology community: the USDA ARS Systematic Entomology Lab, the USDA Forest Service International Programs and the Florida Forest Service.
Tom Atkinson, founder and manager of www.barkbeetles.info
Andrew Johnson attempting to identify a really difficult Cryphalini, his favorite group.
Sarah Smith-Cognato, a bark beetle expert at Michigan State University (https://www.canr.msu.edu/hisl/).
Please follow these steps:
1) First try Frass and Noodles
Take pictures and share them on our Facebook group, Frass and Noodles. This is a global community of bark beetle experts and fans, and the fastest and usually the most accurate way to identify your scolytine beetles. It is highly recommended as the first step. Not only you are tapping into the expertise of the world’s most experienced bark beetle experts, but you can also join a global community that shares bark beetle news and knowledge. Many members would love to see your beetles and learn about them. This is an informal, professional Facebook group whose administrators do not harvest personal data from users. Smartphone images are usually fine, at least to begin with.
2) Email pictures to us
If you are not a Facebook user or are unable to share your bark beetle images via Frass & Noodles, email them to us at BarkBeetles@ifas.ufl.edu. Smart phone photos are a great start and you do not necessarily need a microscope. In your email, please include:
- Beetle photo, top (microscope photo is best, but even a good smartphone photo is often sufficient)
- Beetle photo, side
- Host tree or the trapping method (required)
- Location (Country and province, required)
- Collector name (optional)
- Symptoms (if there is associated tree damage; optional)
We don’t know every bark beetle species, though we’re constantly working on that. If you need to identify a rare species from an unexplored region, chances are that we will not know it, or that it is undescribed. But we will try! If your specimen turns out not to be a bark beetle, or if you need help with general forest/tree health issues, we will refer you once again to Frass and Noodles.
3) Send specimens
If Frass & Noodles does not work for you and if we are unable to identify your beetles from pictures, you are welcome to ship them to us. We will try to identify them and send them back to you. If you do not need the beetles, we will appreciate your donation to the University of Florida Forest Entomology Collection. Beetles preserved in alcohol are preferred, but pinned are OK as well. Individual beetles have to be separated and properly labeled. Here is how you ship bark beetles to us.
Too many beetles! Do NOT send us bulk samples. Individual beetles have to be separated and properly labeled.