Pityophthorus pityographus

The adult is narrowly cylindrical, brownish-black, shiny, about 1.1-1.7 mm long. It swarms in spring, in April and May. About 3-8 females (usually 5-7) follow the male into the nuptial chamber and excavate star-shaped egg chambers after fertilization. The egg chambers are usually relatively long, not rarely 12-15 cm in length. Galleries are deeply cut into sapwood. The larval tunnels are quite dense and regular. It has two generations per year, in mountains usually only one. Damaged trees change the colour of their needles, especially on the most colonized branches which gradually die. In case of intensive attack, the bark falls off.