Underbark pine beetle Aradus cinnamomeus. What to do?

The pine bark beetle (Aradus cinnamomeus) is a dangerous pest that damages pine trees and other conifers. The insect belongs to the Aradidae family, which lives under the bark of trees and feeds on their sap.

The activity of the pine bark beetle causes drying, yellowing, needles falling off, deformation of shoots and cones, reduced growth, fruiting and death of pine trees. The insect transmits various diseases, such as fusarium, shute, rust, which increase the negative impact on plants.

The pine beetle is a widespread pest in Ukraine, where it poses a threat to various types of pine trees, namely: common, mountain, Crimean, black, white, cedar, as well as spruce, fir, larch, thuja, cypress, etc.

In this article, we will tell you how to identify the first signs of pine bark beetle activity, protect plants, and prevent the appearance of this pest.

Identifying the underbark pine beetle

The bark beetle is between three and five mm long. The insect has a flattened body, short antennae and a long stigma. The colour of the insect is very similar to the colour of pine bark, so it is difficult to spot. It lives under the bark scales where it lays its eggs and develops.

There are two forms of pine bark beetle: long-winged and short-winged. Long-winged bugs appear in late summer and early autumn when they are looking for new host plants.  Short-winged bugs live on pine throughout the year, forming colonies on needles, shoots and cones.

The pine bark beetle is identifiable by the following signs:

  – The presence of dark brown or black insects on the bark, needles, shoots and cones of the pine tree, which can be seen with the naked eye or a magnifying glass.

– The presence of egg deposits under the bark scales, which are oval in shape and white, and later dark red in colour.

– Damage to the pine tree, such as drying, yellowing, needles falling off, deformation of shoots and cones, reduced growth, fruiting, and eventual death of the plant.

Pine bark beetle. Photo from the website © Agrariyi Razom

It is worth noting that the activity of the pine bark beetle causes the bark of conifers to become scaly. If the bark of a tree becomes hardened in the lower part of the trunk, the insect moves upwards. In Ukraine, the pine bark beetle is widespread in the north.

How to protect conifers from the pine bark beetle?

If the pine bark beetle has already appeared on a pine tree, you have to take immediate action to kill it and save the plant. To do this, follow these steps:

 – Remove or destroy all infected parts of the pine tree – bark, needles, shoots

 – Choose healthy, strong, bug-resistant pine varieties for planting that are suitable for the climatic conditions of the region, soil, and lighting.

– Maintain the optimum planting density to ensure adequate ventilation and lighting for the pine tree, as well as to avoid excessive competition for nutrients needed for development.

– Ensure regular and rational care of the pine tree, including watering, fertilising, pruning, pinching, cleaning of dry and diseased leaves, needles, shoots, cones.

– Prevent the appearance of the bug by following the rules of crop rotation, sanitation, quarantine, and biological control.

 Attention: The sooner you notice the first signs of the pine bark beetle, the more effective will be the measures to prevent its appearance and protect the plant.

Only you can make the first step towards the protection and health of coniferous plantations. Specialists of the Centre for Ecosystem Phytopathology “Green Clinic” will offer the most effective innovative solutions to keep plants decorative, productive and long-lived.

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