Do ambrosia beetles deposit their eggs in individual cells in their tunnels?

Ambrosia beetles do not deposit their eggs in individual cells within their tunnels. Instead, they create galleries where they cultivate fungal symbionts, which serve as a food source for their larvae. The female ambrosia beetle typically tunnels into the wood, creating a network of galleries that are not compartmentalized into individual cells. When it comes time to lay eggs, the beetles disperse them throughout these galleries rather than placing them in distinct, separate cells.

This behavior differentiates ambrosia beetles from some other species of beetles, which do lay their eggs in specially constructed cells or compartments. The unique reproductive strategy of ambrosia beetles is closely tied to their dependence on the fungi they cultivate, as both the larvae and the adult beetles rely on this symbiotic relationship for sustenance.