Eight-toothed spruce bark beetle found on Sitka spruce trees in the UK for the first time
The Forestry Commission issues new warning on Thursday 25 July as Ips typographus is found on a new species (Sitka spruce) in the South East of England. Woodland managers, landowners and the forestry industry are encouraged to remain vigilant.
Also known as the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus is a serious pest of spruce trees in Europe which was first identified in the UK in 2018. It prefers stressed or dying trees but under the right conditions it can attack healthy trees and has the potential to cause significant damage to Great Britain’s forestry and timber industries.