Ambrosia beetle

Ambrosia beetles are beetles of the weevil subfamilies Scolytinae and Platypodinae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae. They live in symbiosis with ambrosia fungi and bacteria. The beetles make tunnels in dead trees where they grow fungal gardens for nutrition.


During their evolution, most weevils became more or less dependant on fungi. Some bark beetles that ate phloem are using more fungi.Paine, T. D., K. F. Raffa, et al. (1997): Interactions between scolytid bark beetles, their associated fungi and live host conifers. Annual Review of Entomology 42: 179-206.Klepzik, K. D. and D. L. Six (2004): Bark Beetle – Fungal Symbiosis: Context Dependency in Complex Associations. Symbiosis 37: 189-205. These beetles are called mycophloeophages.

References

Other websites

 Images and information  on the Ambrosia beetle at the University of Florida.
 The MSU HISL database  contains a species list
 American Bark and Ambrosia Beetles

Category:Polyphaga