elm bark beetle
noun
: 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
Carried by European and native elm bark beetles, the fatal fungus invades its host and ends its autumns.
—
Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Fall is the best time to prune elms; elm bark beetles do not fly in autumn.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Elms, for example, should not be pruned in spring or summer when the destructive elm bark beetle is actively moving from tree to tree, looking for an open wound to enter the plant.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
A week prior the town of Hanover had sprayed its Elm trees with DDT, in an attempt to save the trees from Dutch elm disease caused by elm bark beetles.
—Amanda Gokee, BostonGlobe.com, 21 July 2023
The elm bark beetle had arrived from the sea, carried in the hull of a ship.
—Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2022
Hundreds of thousands of elms are being taken out by Dutch elm disease, spread by the voracious elm bark beetle.
—Zoya Teirstein, Wired, 14 Aug. 2021
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, 2 Aug. 2019
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Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Fall is the best time to prune elms; elm bark beetles do not fly in autumn.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Elms, for example, should not be pruned in spring or summer when the destructive elm bark beetle is actively moving from tree to tree, looking for an open wound to enter the plant.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
A week prior the town of Hanover had sprayed its Elm trees with DDT, in an attempt to save the trees from Dutch elm disease caused by elm bark beetles.
—Amanda Gokee, BostonGlobe.com, 21 July 2023
The elm bark beetle had arrived from the sea, carried in the hull of a ship.
—Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2022
Hundreds of thousands of elms are being taken out by Dutch elm disease, spread by the voracious elm bark beetle.
—Zoya Teirstein, Wired, 14 Aug. 2021
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, 2 Aug. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Elm bark beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elm%20bark%20beetle. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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