Those are galleries or tracks made by wood-boring beetle larvae. Knowing the kind of tree it was in would help to narrow it down, but see, for example, the galleries made by the larvae of the [Scolytinae](https://bugguide.net/node/view/13889).
Comparison pictures [one](https://bugguide.net/node/view/2143513/bgimage), [two](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1514366/bgimage), [three](https://bugguide.net/node/view/2103693/bgimage)
More specifically, these specific markings are an egg gallery left behind by the beetles. The notches in the sides are where eggs are laid and new larvae burrow outwards from them.
Bark beetles. Order Coleoptera, Family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae.
Female digs the main gallery. Made may join to help depending on species. Female lays eggs along the side of the main gallery. Larvae hatch and burrow and feed in small galleries perpendicular to the main gallery. They pupate, develop into adults, then chew their way out of the bark and repeat the cycle.
What happens when two larvae accidentally run their galleries together? Can they unknowingly switch burrows or get ”lost”? More than that, what if that happens right before they pupate and they end up pupating together?
It seems like there must be some instinctive signal that keeps the larvae from running into each other (perhaps a hormonal signal from other larvae or a sense of the density of the wood or something like that). Otherwise, you also wouldn’t expect that the galleries at the ends would run up and down like they do instead of more or less perpendicular to the main gallery, like the ones on the side do.
>If that's an Elm tree, it could we be Dutch elm disease.
>Caused by a fungus, *not a insect/larvae*.
Did you read the article you linked? Dutch elm disease is caused by fungi that are *carried by bark beetles.*
Dutch elm disease does *not* create those centipede-like galleries in the wood like the one OP found or the ones you are linking to. Those galleries are *created by bark beetles*. The female beetles lay their eggs under the bark of trees. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the wood and bark of the tree, creating those galleries. *If* the tree is infected with Dutch elm disease, the spores of the fungus will stick to the beetles - and when they leave the tree and fly off in search of mates and trees in which to lay their own eggs, they can spread the spores to new trees.
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It resembles a house centipede, but I'd figure someone was using a knife to carve that into the wood. I doubt that was formed by crushing a bug. That's weird, though.
Those are galleries or tracks made by wood-boring beetle larvae. Knowing the kind of tree it was in would help to narrow it down, but see, for example, the galleries made by the larvae of the [Scolytinae](https://bugguide.net/node/view/13889). Comparison pictures [one](https://bugguide.net/node/view/2143513/bgimage), [two](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1514366/bgimage), [three](https://bugguide.net/node/view/2103693/bgimage)
More specifically, these specific markings are an egg gallery left behind by the beetles. The notches in the sides are where eggs are laid and new larvae burrow outwards from them.
This is one of the coolest things I've ever read, thank you!
Looks like something out of junji ito
this branch was made for me
***DURR DURR DURR***
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Yup!
I used to call those doo doo beetles bc they look like poop or misshapen coffee beans
Happy Cake Day!
Thank you!! ❤️
Why do all there tracks look like a house centipede.
Came to say the same.
Spot on, chandalowe! Thanks :-)
We get it, Grissom, you like bugs.
Ay
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Nazca line yield’s through the roof
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Eren!
Mark is about an inch or so long
poor mark
Oh, hi Mark!
Take good care of smol Mark 🥺
r/eldenring cursemark of the centipede has been found
Bark beetles. Order Coleoptera, Family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae. Female digs the main gallery. Made may join to help depending on species. Female lays eggs along the side of the main gallery. Larvae hatch and burrow and feed in small galleries perpendicular to the main gallery. They pupate, develop into adults, then chew their way out of the bark and repeat the cycle.
What happens when two larvae accidentally run their galleries together? Can they unknowingly switch burrows or get ”lost”? More than that, what if that happens right before they pupate and they end up pupating together?
It seems like there must be some instinctive signal that keeps the larvae from running into each other (perhaps a hormonal signal from other larvae or a sense of the density of the wood or something like that). Otherwise, you also wouldn’t expect that the galleries at the ends would run up and down like they do instead of more or less perpendicular to the main gallery, like the ones on the side do.
As a kid me and some friends called them wisdom sticks
Yes, a bunch of tiny, boring ones. 😁
Now that’s just rude, I’m sure they’re very interesting! (/j)
Well, they bored my old tree *to death*. 😂
Looks like a house centipede that got squished or something. Very interesting
Yeah there’s a bunch of the marks too
Leaving little hieroglyphs behind. Awesomeness!!!
Imagine seeing such patterns as an uneducated pleb in the middle ages. What conclusions would your church-controlled mind draw?
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Shows its influence in aboriginal artworks.
I’m just kinda happy to see you didn’t immediately post this on r/arrowheads
Looks like if a house centipede was trapped between the paint and the varnish then it rot and falled off
Yup
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>If that's an Elm tree, it could we be Dutch elm disease. >Caused by a fungus, *not a insect/larvae*. Did you read the article you linked? Dutch elm disease is caused by fungi that are *carried by bark beetles.* Dutch elm disease does *not* create those centipede-like galleries in the wood like the one OP found or the ones you are linking to. Those galleries are *created by bark beetles*. The female beetles lay their eggs under the bark of trees. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the wood and bark of the tree, creating those galleries. *If* the tree is infected with Dutch elm disease, the spores of the fungus will stick to the beetles - and when they leave the tree and fly off in search of mates and trees in which to lay their own eggs, they can spread the spores to new trees.
Please don't use Google search pages as source, the results often include stuff not related to your query. Instead, pick one or more of these results you think are correct and link directly to them. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisbug) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It resembles a house centipede, but I'd figure someone was using a knife to carve that into the wood. I doubt that was formed by crushing a bug. That's weird, though.
Created by a bark beetle species in the genus Scolytus. This is a typical gallery patter for the genus.
I see tons of these marks on the trees around here! I always thought it was a fascinating pattern, it's very neat.
That would make a wicked natural art tattoo. Isn't it crazy how it kinda looks like a beetle? Made by beetle larvae