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Recently two new bark beetle species: Ips amitinus (Eichhoff, 1871) and Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford, 1894) were recorded from territory of Russia.
Ips amitinus (Eichhoff, 1871) - the eight-toothed bark-beetle has spread throughout the North-Western Region of Russia during the process of natural range expansion. I. amitinus infests most commonly spruce, much more rarely the species can be found on pines. I. amitinus breeds most commonly on the undersized trees of the second forest storey or on the tree tops. Nevertheless, I. amitinus import with wood is prohibited to many countries, e.g. to Sweden. At the present time I. amitinus is distributed throughout Leningrad, Novgorod and Briansk Provinces of Russia, all Karelia and also the species can be found in the southern regions of Murmansk Province. I. amitinus, most probably, already occurs in Pskov and Vologda Provinces of Russia. I. amitinus adults can be hardly distinguished from related spruce eight-toothed bark beetle (Ips typographus) and can be easily mixed by non-specialists with this species. However, the galleries of I. amitinus differ strikingly from the galleries of I. typographus by presence of numerous (3-6) parental galleries. In I. typographus work usually the number of parental galleries does not exceed two.
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Ips amitinus (Eichh., 1871) [Scolytidae] galleries under the spruce bark (photo by M.Yu. Mandelshtam) |
Ips amitinus (Eichh., 1871) [Scolytidae] - the beetle nearby the gallery (photo by M.Yu. Mandelshtam) |
For identification of beetles one is advised to come for consultation to Saint-Petersburg Forest Technical Academy or to Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg or to consult via e-mail address at the bottom of the page.
The distribution of the second pest - Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford, 1894) is limited to the Black Sea coastal regions of the Western Transcaucasia where the species was introduced, most probably from China. X. germanus develops in the xylem and infests the broad spectrum of host trees, including many native Caucasian flora species, namely: beech (Fagus orientalis), chestnut (Castanea sativa), boxwood (Buxus colchica), hazle (Corylus avellana), Pitsunda pine (Pinus pithyusa), horn-beam (Carpinus caucasicus), fig tree (Ficus carica) and others. X. germanus can bring serious injury to many tree species cultivated on the Black Sea Coast
References:
Mandelshtam M.Ju. Notes on the current status of Ips amitinus Eichh. (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) in North-West Russia. Entomologica Fennica, 1999. Vol. 10. N 1. - P. 29-34.
Mandelshtam M.Ju. New synonymy and new records of Palaearctic Scolytidae (Coleoptera). Zoosystematica Rossica, 2000. Vol. 9. N 1. - P. 203-204.
Michail Yurievich Mandelshtam
12.10.2001
You are kindly asked to send your corrections and suggestions to improve this web page using the e-mail address that follows: michail@molgen.iem.ras.spb.ru