Bug FAQSculptured Pine Borer
Chalcophora virginiensis · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Buprestidae
Also called: Large Flat-headed Pine Heartwood Borer, Large Flathead Heartwood Borer, Larger Flat-headed Pine Borer, Virginia Pine Borer
Source: Wikipedia
The sculptured pine borer is about an inch long and has a small, broad head with a rugged, copper-colored thorax. It lives in eastern North American forests and feeds on the wood of red pine and white pine. Specimens have been found overseas in timber shipments, indicating accidental introduction via wood products.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The head is small and broad, the thorax is broad and rugged with dark coppery raised areas and lighter punctured depressions. The elytra match the thorax in colour, with the highest parts appearing darker, and the underside is shining coppery with flesh-coloured sides.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults are a little over an inch long.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Specimens have been intercepted in Europe and Japan, likely arriving in transported timber.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is native to forested areas of the eastern United States and Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on red pine (Pinus resinosa) and white pine (Pinus strobus).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its natural range is eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Some authors have treated it as the same species as the western Chalcophora angulicollis, but it is distinct.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What trees does the sculptured pine borer damage?
It bores into red pine and white pine, harming those trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this beetle found?
It lives in forests of the eastern United States and Canada and has been found overseas in timber shipments.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize an adult sculptured pine borer?
Look for a beetle about an inch long with a small, broad head, a rugged copper-colored thorax, and elytra of the same colour.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Buprestidae)
Emerald Ash BorerAgrilus planipennisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Golden Buprestid BeetleBuprestis aurulenta
Anthaxia nitidulaAnthaxia nitidulaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Western Sculptured Pine BorerChalcophora angulicollis
Red-necked Cane BorerAgrilus ruficollis
Japanese Jewel BeetleChrysochroa fulgidissimaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalcophora_virginiensis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.