Xyleborus glabratus, known as the ambrosia beetle, is an invasive insect that mainly affects trees in the Lauraceae family, including avocado. Adults are small, approximately 2 mm in length, and dark brown to black. This beetle has a unique behavior of introducing symbiotic fungi into the trees it infests. Adult females bore into the wood of the host tree to create galleries where they lay their eggs. During this drilling, the females introduce spores of the fungus Raffaelea lauricola into the xylem vessels of the tree. The larvae, upon hatching, feed on the mycelial structures of the fungus within the galleries. Development from larva to adult can be completed in a few weeks under optimal temperature and humidity conditions, allowing multiple generations per year. Emerging females can fly and colonize new trees, perpetuating the spread of the fungus and infection.