Ips cembrae, known generally as larch bark beetle or eight-toothed larch bark beetle, is a species of typical bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. Its habitat is Euro-Siberian, ranging from sea level to sub-alpine.[2] It was first recorded in Great Britain in 1955.[3] Populations were said to be found in Japan and China, but further research determined that those were actually Ips subelongatus.[4]
The insect measures around 5 mm and has a dark brown to black colour. The species is considered hard to distinguish visually from Ips typographus.[4]
Ips cembrae is native to most of its habitat and is considered less of a pest risk than Ips typographus.[1] The beetle mainly affect the European larix, larix decidua, especially during periods of drought.[3][5] Besides damage from digging tunnels, the beetle also spreads fungi between trees.
Parasites
The species can be infected by several nematode parasites: Contortylenchus, Parasitylenchus, Cryptaphelenchus and Parasitorhabditis endoparasites, Micoletzkya under the wings as phoretic parasites. Laimaphelenchus and Bursaphelenchus are found in the frass.[6]
↑ 1,01,1EPPO/CABI 1997. Ips typographus. In: Quarantine pests for Europe, 2nd edn. Ed. by Smith IM, McNamara DG, Scott PR, Holderness M, CAB International, Wallingford.
↑Grodski, Wojciech. "Ips cembrae Heer (Col.: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in young larch stands–a new problem in Poland." Forstschutz Aktuell 44 (2008): 8-9.
↑Hougardy, Evelyne, and J-C. Grégoire. "Biological differences reflect host preference in two parasitoids attacking the bark beetle Ips typographus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in Belgium." Bulletin of entomological research 94.4 (2004): 341-347.
↑Grucmanová, Š., Holuša, J., Čermák, V., & Nermuť, J. (2015). Nematodes associated withIps cembrae(Coleoptera: Curculionidae): comparison of generations, sexes and sampling methods. Journal of Applied Entomology, 140(5), 395–403. doi:10.1111/jen.12269
