-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
bark beetle
noun
: any of numerous beetles (family Scolytidae) that bore under the bark of trees both as a larva and as an adult
Examples of bark beetle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As the planet heats up, scientists are learning that giant sequoias can, in fact, be killed by bark beetles.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024
Berasategui adds that plenty of bark beetles, like ambrosia beetles, also benefit from Fusarium fungi, but in a different way.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Sequoias need fire to reproduce, but the supercharged blazes of recent years have become lethal to the trees already weakened by drought and bark beetles.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Some are succumbing to bark beetles, which have killed 60,000 acres of forest.
—Krista Langlois, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2023
No doubt spruce bark beetle and our urban forests’ health will be a key topic.
—Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 14 Sep. 2023
As the drought continued, native bark beetles swooped in and began killing large tracts of California’s conifer forests, though not the sequoias.
—WIRED, 18 Nov. 2023
California trees are also dying at a record pace due to drought, wildfires, bark beetle infestation and other threats.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2023
Between 2011 and 2020, wildfires, drought and bark beetle infestations contributed to the loss of nearly a third of all conifer forests in the lower half of the mountain range, according to a recent study published in the journal Ecological Applications.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bark beetle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1832, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to bark beetle
Dictionary Entries Near bark beetle
Cite this Entry
“Bark beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bark%20beetle. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
bark beetle
noun
: any of a group of beetles that bore under the bark of trees both as larvae and adults
More from Merriam-Webster on bark beetle
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bark beetle
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share