Damage reduction and performance of mass trapping devices for forest protection against the spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus (Coleoptera Curculionidae Scolytinae)

? The spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, is one of the main European forest pests, and mass trapping is probably the most common strategy applied to reduce its population density. However, the results concerning the effectiveness of this control system are often controversal, and many studies consider only the trapping performance with no attention to the damage reduction.

? During spring-summer 2005, a control program against I. typographus outbreaks was set up in NE Italy. Twenty-four spruce forests heavily infested by I. typographus were studied: six protected by pheromone slot-traps, six by horizontal trap-logs and six by standing trap-logs; six untreated stands were kept as controls. Trap-logs were baited with a pheromone specific to I. typographus and treated with insecticide. Each type of device was tested at high, medium and low density in relation to the number of trees infested during the previous year. New damage occurring in the investigated stands was later monitored for one year.

? Protected forests showed mean damage about 80% lower in 2005 than in 2004, with no statistical difference among traps, trap-logs or standing trap-logs. Instead, unprotected forests (controls) suffered damage to a similar extent in both years. Trapping devices showed no statistical differences among mean captures. Device densities showed similar results in damage reduction and insect trapping.

? The results support the hypothesis that intensive trapping performed at stand level may be useful for protecting forests against I. typographus, locally reducing population density and tree mortality.