Abstract
Non-linear and linear models were compared to determine how well they described the within tree distribution of egg gallery constructed by the southern pine beetle attacking short leaf pine. The model which resulted in the best description, i.e., smallest root mean squared error and highest R2, was y = a + bx + cx2 + d1 IBTm + d2R + d3A, where y is the gallery length per 100 cm2, x is the height of infestation, IBT m is the innerbark thickness at mid-bole, R is the ratio of infested bole length to tree height and A is representative of infested area computed by multiplying infested bole length by diam at breast height.