A great place to post photos of your mystery wood borer is the network Frass and Noodles. Although on Facebook, this group is completely professional and absolutely does not require any connection to your private online profile.
If the Frass and Noodles community cannot help you, our partners at the University of Florida provide everything you need to start identifying bark beetles. This includes collecting kits and the instructional videos on how to use them. But what do you do with your pictures once you have taken them?
By going to the project website you will find all the instructions you need. One of the entomologists in the team will be in touch with you to let you know details about the species and whether it is a cause of ill-health in forests. The team can often provide you with further advice and details.
Alternatively, you can contact the team directly. You can email pictures and information to BarkBeetles@ifas.ufl.edu. In your email, please include:
- Beetle photo, top (microscope photo is best, but even a good-quality smartphone photo is often sufficient)
- Beetle photo, side
- Host tree or the trapping method (required)
- Location (Country and province, required)
- Collector name (optional)
- Symptoms (if there is associated tree damage; optional)
A word of caution: some species are rare and can be difficult to identify. The team will endeavor to give you as much information as possible relating to the beetle. If they cannot answer all your questions they will try to help you find more information. Asian Forest Health News is a great place to share this information!