Ips beetles usually attack injured, dying, or recently felled trees and fresh logging debris. Infestations are particularly common in trees weakened by drought or lightning strikes. Identifying the Insect. They are distinguished from other bark beetles by their scooped-out posterior with 4 to 6 spines on each side. Larvae have white bodies with orange-brown heads and are legless.
Pupae are waxy-white and similar to adults in size.
Identifying the Injury. If the bark is removed, there are Y- or Hshaped egg galleries with short larval galleries extending perpendicular to them. Egg galleries will usually be free of boring dust. The foliage of Ips-killed pines will eventually turn yellow, and then red about the time the beetles complete development under the bark. Often only the top portion of the crown is killed, leaving lower branches green.