Genetic heterogeneity in a cyclical forest pest, the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis, is differentiated into east and west groups in the southeastern United States.

The article focuses on a research conducted in order to investigate genetic diversity and spatial genetic differentiation in a cyclical forest pest, the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis throughout thesoutheastern U.S. It discusses the use of microsatellite variation for comparing the southern pine beetle's pattern of population structure to phylogeographic patterns and providing information about dispersal.