Platypus quercivorus, the oak ambrosia beetle, is a species of weevil and pest of broad-leaved trees.
Since P. quercivorus belongs to the Platypodinae, it has distinct clubs on the end of its stout antennae with three solid segments.
[4] Males have a shallow, unarmed plate on the underside of the thorax and a convex and downward slope of their elytra.
[7] Infestation of these habitats occurs in stages beginning with males flying to and landing on a tree and then boring into the bark through the stems.
[7][6] Typically, this species aggregates in areas with clusters of similar, suitable trees to increase infestation efficiency.
[7] This may be due to coevolutionary factors with tree species Quercus crispula as it is most suitable for gallery formation and is distributed in a clumped pattern.
[3] The warmer climate has allowed the beetle to move north, encountering its best suited host, Q.
[3] It is proposed that as the climate increases, more overlap between the beetle and the best suited host will occur, resulting in an even stronger oak dieback epidemic.
[3] Due to the monogamous nature of the oak ambrosia beetle, mate selection is vital for both females and males.
[6] For females, selecting a male that has bored into a tree with sufficient resources is important to increase fecundity.
[2] The remaining 60% of broods will reach the fifth larval stage by mid fall and overwinter in pupal chambers.
[13] P. quercivorus acts as the primary vector for the parthenogenic fungus Raffaelea quercivora, which causes Japanese Oak Wilt disease.
[2] In addition to R. quercivora, P. quercivorus has at least one other main symbiont, Candida kashinagacola, as these two fungi species are found in all tree host types selected for by the beetle.
[8] Working together with the fungi they vector, the ambrosia beetle galleries disrupt the flow of water within trees, leading to necrosis within 2–3 months of the attack.
[5] These sudden outbreaks may be due to climatic and biological factors that cause host trees to reduce the amount of sap they secrete through parasite-induced necrosis, which is their main defense mechanism to control P. quercivorus populations.
[2] Populations form through the use of pheromones released by members of the species in order to attract more individuals to overcome the tree's defenses.
[5] From analyzing interception trap results, oak ambrosia beetles are known to move upwards along slopes.
[7] One way to do this is by binding the trunks with vinyl sheets which will prevent the beetle from boring into trees and transmitting the fungus.
[7] Trees from the family Fagaceae that have a larger DBH, are in clumps, and are on edges near excess light should be included in the protection plan.