Small, cylindrical beetle of the family Scolytidæ, the adult of which bores into and beneath the bark of various trees, most often conifers, for the purpose of egg laying, leaving a distinctive pattern of meandering galleries. Can spread disease, including Dutch Elm Disease.

An insect that bores through the bark on forest trees to eat the inner bark and lay its eggs. Bark beetles are important killers of forest trees. ( FS People's Glossary of Eco Mgmt Terms)

A bark beetle is one of approximately 220 genera with 6,000 species of beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae in the weevil family Curculionidae (traditionally the bark beetles were placed in their own family Scolytidae).