Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg)

Beaver, R. A. & Liu, L. Y., 2010, An annotated synopsis of Taiwanese bark and ambrosia beetles, with new synonymy, new combinations and new records (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Zootaxa 2602, pp. 1-47 : 30

114. Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg)

Bostrichus saxesenii Ratzeburg, 1837: 167 .

Distribution: Throughout the Palaearctic region, including Taiwan. Introduced and established in Europe, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. [2b]

Hosts: Polyphagous, attacking both gymnosperm and angiosperm trees ( Wood & Bright 1992).

Biology: The biology of the species has been studied by many researchers (e.g. Fischer 1954; Hosking 1973; Peer & Taborsky 2007). A laboratory rearing technique is described by Biedermann et al. (2009). The larvae of Xyleborinus spp. and Xylosandrus spp. , unlike those of most other Xyleborini , enlarge the gallery system as they develop, and frequently feed on fungus-infested wood rather than the ambrosia fungus alone ( Wood 1982; Biedermann et al. 2009). Peer and Taborsky (2007) show that cooperative brood care occurs within a gallery system, as a result of delayed dispersal by the new generation of females, and that this can raise the number of offspring produced per gallery. Like many xyleborines, the species is strongly attracted to ethanol (e.g. Markalas & Kalapanida 1997; Oliver & Mannion 2001; Miller & Rabaglia 2009).