elm bark beetle

noun

Definition of elm bark beetle

: either of two beetles (family Scolytidae) that are vectors for the fungus causing Dutch elm disease:

a : one (Hylurgopinus rufipes) native to eastern North America

b : one (Scolytus multistriatus) introduced from Europe into eastern North America

Examples of elm bark beetle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the early 20th century, Dutch elm disease, a fungus from Asia that is spread by elm bark beetles, killed 75 percent of native elms. — Claire Marie Porter, WIRED, "This Voracious, Unstoppable Bug Is Killing Off Vineyards," 2 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elm bark beetle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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