Laurel wilt disease (LWD) is a lethal vascular disease caused by Harringtonia lauricola, the fungal symbiont of the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus Eichoff) (RAB) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). LWD impacts species within the family Lauraceae and causes tree mortality throughout the southeastern United States and continues to spread into northern and western regions. Management methods have not been successful in preventing the spread of this disease, warranting investigation into innovative techniques. RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural conserved cellular mechanism emerging as a tool for insect suppression that has been used in agricultural settings and is being investigated for its efficacy in forest systems. Manipulation of the RNAi pathway, when targeting essential genes, leads to gene silencing, and has been shown to be highly effective in coleopteran pests. To begin RNAi studies, stably expressed reference genes must be validated to normalize gene expression. I evaluated the stability of 5 candidate reference genes (16s, 18s, 28s, ACT, and ef1a) after exposing beetles (N=7) to different experimental conditions (temperature, photoperiodism, and dsRNA exposure). After 72h of exposure, the stability of each reference gene was analyzed using RefFinder, which combines four algorithms to produce a comprehensive ranking, which identified 28s and ef1a as most stably expressed. These genes are being used for RAB gene expression studies evaluating RNAi-mediated gene silencing currently underway. RNAi-mediated gene silencing has the potential to contribute to an integrated management approach for reducing the impact of RAB and LWD.