The demarcated space within the south of England that was put in place to fight the unfold of the tree pest Ips typographus, also referred to as eight-tooth European spruce bark beetle, has been prolonged following additional findings of the insect.

The brand new findings have been made following routine plant well being surveillance actions carried out by the Forestry Fee. Consequently, the present demarcated space in Kent, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex has been prolonged to cowl elements of Hampshire.

Inside the demarcated space, the motion of vulnerable tree materials resembling spruce wooden, bark and branches is restricted.

The Forestry Fee can also be urging elevated vigilance at present, in mild of the brand new findings. Any sightings also needs to be reported to the Forestry Fee by way of its TreeAlert on-line portal.

An intensive community of pheromone traps has already been positioned throughout the southeast to watch for potential incursions of the pest from the continent and to establish suspect websites.

Commenting on in the present day’s extension, Jane Hull, Forestry Fee space director for the southeast and London, stated:

“The improved plant well being enforcement actions introduced in the present day will stop this doubtlessly damaging pest from changing into established, defend the forestry sector, and guarantee our very important spruce are retained throughout the panorama.”

Bark beetle

The southeast of England specifically is weak to the arrival of the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle as a result of it might probably naturally be blown over from Europe.

The bigger eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle is taken into account a critical pest of spruce bushes in Europe and was first discovered within the wider atmosphere in Norway spruce in woodlands in Kent in 2018, as a part of routine plant well being surveillance exercise.

The beetle is principally a secondary pest, preferring burdened or weakened bushes.

Due to this, within the long-term, the Forestry Fee is encouraging landowners within the affected areas to take away burdened or weakened spruce and replant with different species to restrict potential unfold of Ips typographus.

The beetles bore into wooden the place they entice mates and lay eggs.

Grownup Ips typographus beetles are roughly 5mm lengthy.