Both Scottish Forestry and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture are working collaboratively together on precautionary forestry measures following the finding of three Ips cembrae beetles (commonly known as the large larch bark beetle) in a trap in Passage West port in Cork.  

Ips cembrae is a large bark beetle which bores into larch trees which in turn can have a damaging effect on the quality and volumes of timber. 

Until further investigations have been carried out, a precautionary pause is now in place preventing all conifer timber with bark on being transported to Ireland from Scotland’s west coast Pest Free Area.  

Scottish Forestry will continue to work with tree health officials in Ireland to assess future actions and will keep the industry informed of developments.

More info can be found here