bark beetle

noun

any of numerous small, cylindrical beetles of the family Scolytidae that nest under the bark of hardwood trees, leaving intricate tracings on the wood.

Origin of bark beetle

First recorded in 1860–65

Also called ambrosia beetle, engraver beetle.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for bark beetle

Historical Examples of bark beetle

Absurd, replied the bark-beetle, just sit still and be polite to the gentleman.
The Adventures of Maya the Bee
Waldemar Bonsels
But I ain't believin' any such perambulatin' spirit for a bark-beetle.
The Boy With the U. S. Foresters
Francis Rolt-Wheeler
Then he continued: "But I didn't know there was any bark-beetle here."
The Boy With the U. S. Foresters
Francis Rolt-Wheeler
An' when that dead tree is full of bark-beetle, an' there ain't none in the forest, that sure looks suspicious.
The Boy With the U. S. Foresters
Francis Rolt-Wheeler
He can stretch his tongue out ten times my length, cried the bark-beetle, flourishing his arm.
The Adventures of Maya the Bee
Waldemar Bonsels

British Dictionary definitions for bark beetle

bark beetle

noun

any small beetle of the family Scolytidae, which bore tunnels in the bark and wood of trees, causing great damage. They are closely related to the weevils

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012