During a phytosanitary survey, experts from the Subtropical Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences noticed foci of withering, first in deciduous and then in coniferous trees. The cause was found to be bark beetles. The insects were identified, and it turned out that such species had not been previously recorded in Russia. It is likely that the new pest species were accidentally introduced to Russia from Italy with ornamental plants.
"When we conducted a molecular genetic analysis of the polyphagous ambrosia beetle, we obtained almost a 100% match with Italian, Spanish, and French samples. The mild climate of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and the diversity of vegetation create favorable conditions for many pests introduced from other countries," noted Natalia Karpun, a research associate at the Department of Plant Protection of the Subtropical Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences,Doctor of Biological Sciences.
Controlling bark beetles is very difficult and involves treating and sanitary pruning of plants. If the cypress bark beetle has infested a tree, it dies. The polyphagous ambrosia beetle does not develop in trunks but damages only branches.
Blogs
