The mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, causes the annual loss of billions of board feet of lumber. It is the most devastating insect pest of North American coniferous forests. Despite the economic importance of this beetle, very little is known about its biochemistry or molecular biology.

This project will investigate biochemical and molecular mechanisms this bark beetle uses to communicate and deal with the tree it lives in. Genes involved in these processes may become targets for future directed pest management strategies.