Encyclopedia of Entomology

Springer 2004
10.1007/0-306-48380-7_1510
Eurasian Spruce Bark Beetle, Ips
typographus Linneaus (Coleoptera:
Curculionidae, Scolytinae)
Erik Christiansen
1
(1) Norwegian Forest Research Institute, s, Norway
Without Abstract
mong t!o"#and# of $ar% $eetle #pecie# &orld&ide' only a !andf"l i# a$le to attac% and
%ill tree# on a large #cale. (ne of t!e#e i# t!e 8-toot!ed #pr"ce $ar% $eetle' Ips
typographus ).' indigeno"# to t!e *alaearctic fore#t# and recently introd"ced into +ort!
merica. ,n E"rope' t!e main !o#t i# t!e +or&ay #pr"ce' Picea abies -)innae"#. /ar#ten0
in Ea#tern #ia' incl"ding 1apan' t!e main !o#t# are #pr"ce# of t!e P. jezoensis gro"p. ,n
"nmanaged fore#t#' t!e#e $eetle# play an important ecological role $y %illing old tree#
and #tand#' t!"# promoting $ioma## recycling and eco#y#tem re2"3enation. 4ore#ter# &!o
are faced &it! e5ten#i3e tree mortality do not' !o&e3er' &elcome t!i# acti3ity6 managed
fore#t# of E"rope !a3e lo#t !"ndred# of million# of tree# in rec"rring o"t$rea%#.
Hibernation
,n t!e colder area#' t!e $eetle# emerging from %illed' #tanding tree# mo#t often !i$ernate
in t!e litter of t!e fore#t floor &!ere a good #no& co3er offer# protection. 7eetle#
!atc!ing from gro"nded #tem# or log# more often remain "nder t!e $ar% d"ring t!e
&inter. ,n &armer part# of it# range' t!e #pr"ce $eetle i# more prone to #tay in #tanding
tree#. 8!e ad"lt $eetle# in 4inland tolerate temperat"re# do&n to 930:;' &!ile t!e lar3ae
&ill die at temperat"re# aro"nd 915:;. 8!e mortality rate d"ring !i$ernation i# generally
not &ell %no&n.
Voltinism
8!e $eetle# lea3e t!eir &inter <"arter# in early #pring' $"t flig!t only occ"r# &!en
ma5im"m air temperat"re# e5ceed 20:;. ,n ;entral E"rope &!ere flig!t may occ"r a#
early a# mid-pril' a ne& generation of $eetle# may !atc! $y mid#"mmer to #tart a
#econd ann"al generation. t!ird generation may $e initiated in "n"#"ally !ot #"mmer#.
,n colder area# #"c! a# 4enno#candia' #pring flig!t occ"r# in =ay and 1"ne and only one
generation i# prod"ced per year. >ere' an occa#ional #econd generation t!at remain# in
t!e lar3al #tage at t!e on#et of &inter &ill die in t!e lo& temperat"re#.
Fig !!" Ips typographus adults are 5 to 6 mm long, hairy, and dark brown to black !he ti" o#
each elytron has $ teeth
Breeding
?"ring t!e flig!t period' t!e $eetle# #earc! for a $reeding #ite. 4lig!t di#tance# are !ig!ly
3aria$le depending on energy re#er3e# and t!e a3aila$ility of fre#! $reeding #"$#trate0
i.e.' tim$er &it! $ar%' logging de$ri#' &indfall# and li3e tree#. >ealt!y tree# !a3e
po&erf"l defen#e mec!ani#m#' $"t can $e o3ercome &!en $eetle pop"lation# reac!
epidemic le3el#.
,n t!i# polygamo"# #pecie#' gallery con#tr"ction #tart# &it! t!e male e5ca3ating a n"ptial
c!am$er in t!e p!loem' and i# 2oined $y 1 to 4 female#. fter mating' eac! female
e5ca3ate# a gallery and depo#it# !er egg# #ingly in little nic!e# a# #!e mo3e# along.
=aternal gallerie#' r"nning in t!e a5ial direction of t!e #tem' are a$o"t 6 to 15 cm long'
depending on attac% den#ity. 8!e male# remo3e fra## from t!e gallerie# and al#o g"ard
t!e entrance !ole#. Space permitting' a female may lay !er f"ll complement of a$o"t 100
egg# in one gallery. 8!e 5 to 10 cm long lar3al mine# #tart at rig!t angle# from t!e
maternal gallery. 8!e p!loem' in &!ic! t!e lar3ae feed' i# !ig! in #tored energy' and
lar3al den#itie# may e5ceed 500 gallerie# per #<"are meter of $ar% #"rface. I. typographus
often "tili@e# mo#t of t!e #tem' $"t #!"n# t!e lo&er 1 to 1.5 m a# &ell a# t!e top &!ere t!e
$ar% $ecome# too t!in for gallery con#tr"ction. ,n t!e "pper #tem' t!e gallerie# o3erlap
&it! t!o#e of ot!er $ar% $eetle#' partic"larly t!e #maller Pityogenes chalcographus -)..'
&!ic! mo#t often "tili@e# t!e t!in-$ar%ed top #ection.
?"ring an ongoing attac%' parent $eetle# may $e ind"ced to re-emerge after a co"ple of
&ee%#' partic"larly in &arm &eat!er and &!en cro&ding occ"r#. =ale# dominate among
t!e re-emerging $eetle#. 8!ey may re-attac% t!e tree from &!ic! t!ey emerged' or fly to
ad2acent one#. 4emale# are more prone to #tay in t!eir original !o#t tree' $"t may al#o
lea3e to con#tr"ct ne& gallerie#' gi3ing ri#e to A#i#ter $rood#.B (cca#ionally' a #econd re-
emergence may ta%e place' re#"lting in a t!ird #i#ter $rood. # a con#e<"ence' co!ort# in
different #tage# of de3elopment may occ"r #im"ltaneo"#ly' e3en in area# &it! only one
ann"al generation.
#$eromones %o&ern Beetle 'ttacks
?"ring t!eir initial #earc! for a $reeding #ite' 3olatile #"$#tance# emanating from !o#t
material g"ide t!e $eetle#. >o&e3er' "pon #"cce##f"lly entering a #"ita$le #"$#trate' a
ApioneerB male &ill emit a c!emical $o"<"et of t!ree 3olatile#' &!ic! act a# pop"lation
aggregation p!eromone#' #"mmoning $ot! #e5e# for a 2oint attac%. t a later #tage of t!e
attac%' t&o ot!er #"$#tance# &it! a repellent effect may $e prod"ced. 8!i# apparently
contri$"te# to t!e reg"lation of attac% den#ity $y ind"cing latecomer# to #ee% o"t ot!er
#ite#. 8!e p!eromone# of t!e #pr"ce $ar% $eetle &ere i#olated and identified in t!e 1C70#'
and !a3e #"$#e<"ently $een "#ed for $ait in $eetle trap#. 8o #ome e5tent' t!ey al#o attract
ot!er #colytid#' and al#o act a# %airomone# for predator# #"c! a# clerid#.
($e Epidemic ($res$old
t lo& pop"lation le3el#' t!e $eetle# are "na$le to %ill tree# &it! intact defen#e#' and t!eir
$reeding i# t!erefore re#tricted to "ndefended #"$#trate# #"c! a# logging de$ri#' &indfall#
and tim$er. >ig! #tandard# of fore#t !ygiene may !elp to maintain t!i# non-epidemic
#tate. >o&e3er' en3ironmental calamitie# #"c! a# large-#cale &ind-felling and prolonged
dro"g!t may "p#et e3en t!e $e#t regime of !ygiene' $oo#ting t!e $eetle pop"lation to
e5ceed t!e A8!re#!old of S"cce##f"l ttac%.B $o3e t!i# le3el' !ealt!y tree# can $e
o3er&!elmed in a ma##-attac%. 8!e t!re#!old i# lo&ered &!en tree defen#e# are
&ea%ened $y prolonged period# of dro"g!t' or &!en tree root# are damaged $y #trong
&ind#.
Fig !!) !hreshold o# success#ul attack on Norway s"ruce by Ips typographus %lack dots
re"resent killed trees, white dots are sur&i&ing trees ' standard tree is () cm in diameter at
breast height Resistance is de#ined by growth e##iciency, as measured at breast height, ie,
"re&ious year*s increment o# stem cross+sectional area as a "ercentage o# sa"wood cross+
sectional area Redrawn by 'lan ' %erryman a#ter ,ulock and -hristiansen, 1./6
D!en Ips typographus attac%# a li3ing tree' only t&o o"tcome# are po##i$le6 t!e tree i#
%illed and t!e $eetle# prod"ce a ne& generation' or t!e tree #"r3i3e# and no off#pring are
generated. ,n ot!er &ord#6 if t!e n"m$er of a##ailant# e5ceed# t!e A8!re#!old of
S"cce##f"l ttac%'B t!e $eetle# &in' if not' t!ey are dri3en a&ay or die.
Fungal 'ssociates
?"ring attac% and gallery con#tr"ction' Ips typographus #pread# #pore# of a 3ariety of
microorgani#m#' among &!ic!' #pecie# of t!e f"ngal family (p!io#tomataceae are
partic"larly important. 7eca"#e concentration# of !yp!ae often gi3e a $l"i#! #tain to t!e
&ood' t!e f"ngi are referred to a# A$l"e-#tain f"ngi.B D!en a ne& generation of $eetle#
emerge#' t!e #tic%y #pore# ad!ere to t!e $ody #"rface. Spore# are al#o inge#ted $y callo&
ad"lt# and carried in t!eir g"t#. Some $l"e-#tain f"ngi are capa$le of gro&ing in fre#!
$ar% and &ood and at lea#t one #pecie#' Ceratocystis polonica -Siem.. ;. =orea"' may
%ill !ealt!y tree# &!en artificially inoc"lated into t!e $ar%. 7l"e-#tain f"ngi do not attac%
cell &all#' $"t rat!er "tili@e t!e content# of $ar% and &ood parenc!yma cell#' &!ic! are
#torage organ# for #tarc!' #"gar# and lipid# and !ence' t!e primary target for $ot! $eetle#
and f"ngi.
Host (ree *e+ense
(3er t!e eon#' conifer# !a3e de3eloped ela$orate defen#e mec!ani#m# to cope &it!
&o"nding and infection. 8!ic% cor% $ar%' often &it! a$"ndant #tone cell#' i# an o$#tacle
to in3a#ion. l#o in#ide t!e li3ing p!loem' c!emical defen#e# of $ot! preformed and
ind"ci$le nat"re a&ait intr"ding organi#m#. n interconnected #y#tem of d"ct# #tore#
con#tit"ti3e re#in' &!ic! may repel or immo$ili@e attac%ing in#ect#. =oreo3er' t!e
p!loem parenc!yma cell#' a primary energy #o"rce for $ot! $eetle# an f"ngi' are acti3e in
#ynt!e#i#' #torage and modification of p!enolic# in re#pon#e to &o"nding and infection.
8!i# render# t!e p!loem in!o#pita$le to intr"der#. *arenc!yma cell# may form ne&
periderm# incl"ding cor% layer#' t!"# compartmentali@ing t!e infected area &!ere t!ey
relea#e f"ngi#tatic #"$#tance#. S"perficial &o"nd# and infection#' incl"ding a$orted
$eetle attac%#' are en3eloped and rendered !armle## $y t!e#e reaction#. =oreo3er' t!e
"nderlying cam$i"m prod"ce# n"mero"# tra"matic re#in d"ct# in t!e 5ylem. $o3e t!e
A8!re#!old of S"cce##f"l ttac%'B t!e !o#t defen#e# collap#e. 8!i# critical le3el i# defined
$y t!e !o#t treeB# genetic con#tit"tion and $y t!e en3ironment #"rro"nding it. S"$-let!al
$eetle attac%# may ri#e t!e t!re#!old le3el t!ere$y ind"cing local ac<"ired re#i#tance in
attac%ed #tem#.
Control o+ *amage
7y maintaining a !ig! #tandard of fore#t !ygiene' fore#ter# attempt to %eep $eetle
pop"lation# in a permanent non-epidemic #tate. 4ore#t !ygiene i# generally dependent on
t!e remo3al of potential $reeding material. ,deally' no #"c! material #!o"ld $e fo"nd in
t!e fore#t &!en t!e $eetle# fly' and a minim"m re<"irement i# t!at any $reeding #"$#trate
#!o"ld $e remo3ed from t!e fore#t $efore t!e ne5t generation emerge#. >o&e3er' e3en
t!e mo#t pain#ta%ing effort# may $e in 3ain &!en a gale #tri%e#' mo#t often in &inter'
lea3ing large n"m$er# of fallen tree#. ,n r"gged terrain &it! no road#' e3en dedicated
manager# may not $e a$le to #al3age all fallen tree# $efore t!e on#et of t!e $eetle#B flig!t
#ea#on. Ender #"c! circ"m#tance#' do&ned $reeding material may $oo#t propagation'
p"#!ing t!e pop"lation acro## t!e A8!re#!old of S"cce##f"l ttac%.B 8rap tree# and $eetle
trap# may $e "#ef"l for %eeping non-epidemic pop"lation# do&n and for mopping "p
re#tricted' local pop"lation# of $eetle#' $"t in ca#e of a f"ll-fledged epidemic' t!e#e
mea#"re# m"#t $e com$ined &it! large-#cale #al3age/#anitation c"tting.
,e+erences
'nnila, 0 1.6. In#luence o# tem"erature u"on the de&elo"ment and &oltinism o# Ips typographus
1 (-oleo"tera, 2colytidae) 'nnales 3oologici Fennici 64 1615()/

%akke, ', 6 Fr7yen, and 1 2katteb7l 1.88 Field res"onse to a new "heromonal com"ound
isolated #rom Ips typographus Naturwissenscha#ten 6$4 ./

-hristiansen, 0, and ' %akke 1.// !he s"ruce bark beetle o# 0urasia 6" $8.55)9 in ' '
%erryman (ed), :ynamics o# #orest insect "o"ulations 6lenum 6ress, New ;ork, New ;ork

<ornt&edt, R, 0 -hristiansen, < 2olheim, and 2 =ang 1./9 'rti#icial inoculation with Ips
typographus+associated blue+stain #ungi can kill healthy Norway s"ruce trees ,eddelelser #ra
Norsk institutt #or skog#orskning 9/4 15()

,ulock, 6, and 0 -hristiansen 1./6 !he threshold o# success#ul attack by Ips typographus on
Picea abies4 a #ield e>"eriment Forest 0cology and ,anagement 1$4 1(5519(

2olheim, < 1..1 !he early stages o# #ungal in&asion in Norway s"ruce in#ested by the bark
beetle Ips typographus -anadian ?ournal o# %otany 8)4 155

!halenhorst, = 1.5/ @rundAuge der 6o"ulationdynamik des grossen Fichtenborkenka#ers Ips
typographus 1 2chrReihe #orstl Fak Bni&ersity o# @ottingen (14 151(6