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Ceracris kiangsu (Orthoptera: Arcypteridae), is greatly affected by climatic factors and exhibits strong adaptability, posing a serious threat to the ecological environment. Therefore, predicting its potential suitable habitat distribution provides a proactive theoretical basis for pest control. This study using the Biomod2 package of R simulated and predicted the current and future potential distribution, area changes, changes in the center points of suitable habitats, and niche shifts of C. kiangsu under two different greenhouse gas emission scenarios, SSP1-26 and SSP5-85. The results show that: (1) Currently, the high suitability areas for C. kiangsu are mainly distributed in Yunnan, Jiangxi, Hunan provinces in southern China and phongsaly province in northern Laos. In the future, the center of the suitable habitat distribution pattern of C. kiangsu will remain unchanged, primarily expanding outward from medium and high suitability areas. Additionally, significant suitable habitats for C. kiangsu were discovered in Southeast Asian countries without previous pest records. (2) Compared to the present, the overall suitable habitat area for C. kiangsu is expected to expand, particularly under the SSP5-85 climate change scenario. (3) In the SSP1-26 and SSP5-85 climate scenarios, the geometric center of the suitable habitat generally shows a trend of gradually shifting northeast. (4) Under different climate scenarios, the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu has highly overlapping, indicating that the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu in the invaded areas is broader than in its native regions. In conclusion, the research findings represent a breakthrough in identifying the potential distribution areas of C. kiangsu, which is of great practical significance for the monitoring and control of C. kiangsu pest infestation in China and Southeast Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, branches of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) were placed on 24 different study sites within beech stands in the Czech Republic to study the distribution of the beech bark beetle (Taphrorychus bicolor Her.). After infestation, the branches were placed in emergence traps to capture adults of the offspring generation. In total, 2167 adults of T. bicolor were captured across the 24 study sites. The average capture (mean ± SE) was 90.3 ± 24.4 adults per site. Statistical analyses, including GLMM and GLM, were employed to assess the influence of elevation and stand age on the abundance of T. bicolor. The results indicate that the distribution of T. bicolor is mainly influenced by the elevation and age of the beech stand. The number of captured adults decreased with elevation and increased with stand age. Climatic region, volumes of beech, and volumes of felled beech wood from principal felling and thinning felling had no significant effect on the number of T. bicolor adults captured. We found that, overall, 73.37% of Czech beech stands (at elevations 300–650 m a.s.l.) are possibly threatened (either highly or slightly) by the large occurrence of T. bicolor, because they are present at elevations where T. bicolor is widespread. No outbreaks of T. bicolor have yet been reported in the Czech Republic, but with the increasing amount of beech planted, combined with global climate change, the possibility of outbreaks in the future cannot be excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive poplar leaf miner Leucoptera sinuella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), has spread throughout poplar plantations in central Chile. We developed and validated models based on two methodologies of foliar damage estimation, and from different bands and indexes obtained from Sentinel-2 satellite images. We estimated foliar damage with field visual application of an ordinal severity scale, or with a laboratory estimation of leaf mined area with an image software (ImageJ) from a sample of leaves using an ordinal severity scale. We developed four models for the visual estimation on the field using red band and three spectral indexes, while we developed four models for the laboratory image software estimation using near infrared (NIR) band and the same three spectral indexes. Models developed from field visual estimation with red band (R2 = 0.88) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (R2 = 0.89) produced better results, as well as from image software estimation with NIR band (R2 = 0.86) and NDVI (R2 = 0.83). The field visual estimation and red band model got the best validation results, with R2 of 0.90, mean square error of 0.73, mean absolute error of 0.59, and a slope of 0.91. This model could predict the severity of foliar damage by L. sinuella in poplar plantations, representing a potentially useful monitoring tool for decision-making in the management of the poplar leaf miner in large areas of poplar plantations in central Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ceracris kiangsu (Orthoptera: Arcypteridae), is greatly affected by climatic factors and exhibits strong adaptability, posing a serious threat to the ecological environment. Therefore, predicting its potential suitable habitat distribution provides a proactive theoretical basis for pest control. This study using the Biomod2 package of R simulated and predicted the current and future potential distribution, area changes, changes in the center points of suitable habitats, and niche shifts of C. kiangsu under two different greenhouse gas emission scenarios, SSP1-26 and SSP5-85. The results show that: (1) Currently, the high suitability areas for C. kiangsu are mainly distributed in Yunnan, Jiangxi, Hunan provinces in southern China and phongsaly province in northern Laos. In the future, the center of the suitable habitat distribution pattern of C. kiangsu will remain unchanged, primarily expanding outward from medium and high suitability areas. Additionally, significant suitable habitats for C. kiangsu were discovered in Southeast Asian countries without previous pest records. (2) Compared to the present, the overall suitable habitat area for C. kiangsu is expected to expand, particularly under the SSP5-85 climate change scenario. (3) In the SSP1-26 and SSP5-85 climate scenarios, the geometric center of the suitable habitat generally shows a trend of gradually shifting northeast. (4) Under different climate scenarios, the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu has highly overlapping, indicating that the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu in the invaded areas is broader than in its native regions. In conclusion, the research findings represent a breakthrough in identifying the potential distribution areas of C. kiangsu, which is of great practical significance for the monitoring and control of C. kiangsu pest infestation in China and Southeast Asian countries.

Sirex noctilio is an invasive forest wasp that affects pines in many parts of the globe and can result in severe economic losses. Current trapping methods for monitoring the pest rely heavily on non‐specific semiochemicals. This lack of specificity can translate into low attraction/capture levels, something that is undesired, especially when the intent is to detect the pest when still at low population densities. In this context, an interesting opportunity arises to increase trap sensitivity by incorporating visual cues. For this, we evaluated potential sources of visual information that, in accordance with the ecology of the species, could elicit an attractive response complementary to the olfactory cues. We measured the reflectance spectra of pine bark, chlorotic needles and woodwasp male abdomens. The spectra were then compared with 120 commercial paint colours to be applied on panel traps. During two flight seasons, field experiments were conducted with the deployment of 155 traps, combining the volatile bait (turpentine) and different coloured traps. We observed a significantly higher number of captures towards traps with pine bark‐like colourations compared with the black control traps. Our results are encouraging, as they suggest the potential of combining visual and chemical information for sustainable pest biomonitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe box tree moth (BTM), Cydalima perspectalis, and the fall webworm (FWW), Hyphantria cunea are two invasive forest pests in northern Iran. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are usually compatible with integrated pest management programs. In this study, the efficacy of five isolates of EPNs was evaluated against the two pests in laboratory and field conditions. LC50 values of Steinernema carpocapsae (IRTabriz), S. feltiae (IRTabriz), S. feltiae (Entonem), Oscheius rugaoensis and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (IRTabriz) were as follow: 44.8, 66.5, 113.8, 190.7 and 515.9 infective juveniles (IJs) larva−1 on the fifth instar larvae of BTM; and 75.2, 96.6, 131.0, 258.0 and 292.5 IJs larva−1 on fifth instar larvae of FWW, respectively in the laboratory tests 48 h post-treatment at 25 °C and 60% relative humidity. Under field conditions, the foliar applications of S. carpocapsae (IRTabriz), S. feltiae (IRTabriz), and S. feltiae (Entonem) at the rate of 106 IJs L−1 resulted in 36–58% mortality after 48 h against BTM and 15–52% mortality against FWW, respectively. The results demonstrate that EPNs are promising candidates for biocontrol of BTW and FWW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bark beetle Ips typographus (L.) is the most important pest in European Norway spruce forests. Especially after abiotic disturbance events, like storms or snowfall, this beetle can utilise vast amounts of trees with impaired defences, leading to mass outbreaks and further mortality of spruce. In 2018, the 'Vaia' storm damaged huge areas of Norway spruce-dominated forests in the Southern Alps. In the following years, the same regions were additionally affected by heavy snowfalls providing high amounts of suitable material for I. typographus brood establishment and development. Since then, these forests have faced unprecedented population outbreaks of I. typographus with severe effects for forest ecosystems, from both an ecological and an economic perspective. A comprehensive understanding of this beetle's genetic structure, including effects of the last ice ages as well as consequences of current population outbreaks, can give insights into the population dynamics of an eruptive species. Here, we studied the genetic structure of five epidemic populations from the Southern Alps and one from a potential glacial refugium in the Apennines. Our results revealed a low genetic diversity and a weak population structure among all studied locations. In the six analysed populations, four already described haplotypes, belonging to three slightly divergent haplogroups, were found. These haplotypes were evenly distributed among populations, including the potential glacial refugium in the Apennines. High gene flow among populations is probably maintained by the beetle's high dispersal capacity and high population densities, resulting in a panmictic population structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution of Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann, 1868, and Dendroctonus mexicanus Hopkins, 1905, was determined from 2020 to 2021 in the Tixtlancingo ejido. The information came from two surveys because, despite the abundant forested areas in this geographical area of the state of Guerrero, Mexico, economic resources for pest biomonitoring are limited. However, it was possible to identify the presence of 76 outbreaks affecting 1117.697 hectares and 95,078 trees, totaling 14,223.8 m 3 of standing timber volume. In 2020, 28 outbreaks were reported, with the eastern spatial distribution showing the most damage from bark beetles, particularly in outbreaks 7 and 14 of the surveyed area. The most affected conifers were Pinus maximinoi H. E. Moore (44.71%), Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl. (39.93%), and Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl. (15.36%). The affected timber volume was observed in diameter categories of 30 cm for the three pine species, with infestation of 90,549 trees (13,497.6 m 3 t.t.v. (total tree volume)) across 1057.64 hectares. In 2021, 48 outbreaks were recorded, with the northeastern and southern parts of the surveyed area showing the most damage from the bark beetle. The trees most affected by the bark beetle were P. oocarpa (59.17%), P. maximinoi (33.94%), and P. pseudostrobus (6.89%). It was observed that the affected volume occurred in trees with diameter categories of 50 cm for the three pine species, affecting 4529 trees (726.214 m 3 t.t.v.) distributed over 60.06 hectares. The contribution of this work lies in establishing a baseline for monitoring damage caused by this beetle, which affects forest resources and diminishes the possibility of maintaining carbon capture areas in the medium and long term, thus impacting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 agenda, specifically Goals 11, 13, and 15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In response to the shortcomings of traditional pest detection methods, such as inadequate accuracy and slow detection speeds, a lightweight forestry pest image recognition model based on an improved YOLOv8 architecture is proposed. Initially, given the limited availability of real deep forest pest image data in the wild, data augmentation techniques, including random rotation, translation, and Mosaic, are employed to expand and enhance the dataset. Subsequently, the traditional Conv (convolution) layers in the neck module of YOLOv8 are replaced with lightweight GSConv, and the Slim Neck design paradigm is utilized for reconstruction to reduce computational costs while preserving model accuracy. Furthermore, the CBAM attention mechanism is introduced into the backbone network of YOLOv8 to enhance the feature extraction of crucial information, thereby improving detection accuracy. Finally, WIoU is employed as a replacement for the traditional CIOU to enhance the overall performance of the detector. The experimental results demonstrate that the improved model exhibits a significant advantage in the field of forestry pest detection, achieving precision and recall rates of 98.9% and 97.6%, respectively. This surpasses the performance of the current mainstream network models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, branches of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) were placed on 24 different study sites within beech stands in the Czech Republic to study the distribution of the beech bark beetle (Taphrorychus bicolor Her.). After infestation, the branches were placed in emergence traps to capture adults of the offspring generation. In total, 2167 adults of T. bicolor were captured across the 24 study sites. The average capture (mean ± SE) was 90.3 ± 24.4 adults per site. Statistical analyses, including GLMM and GLM, were employed to assess the influence of elevation and stand age on the abundance of T. bicolor. The results indicate that the distribution of T. bicolor is mainly influenced by the elevation and age of the beech stand. The number of captured adults decreased with elevation and increased with stand age. Climatic region, volumes of beech, and volumes of felled beech wood from principal felling and thinning felling had no significant effect on the number of T. bicolor adults captured. We found that, overall, 73.37% of Czech beech stands (at elevations 300–650 m a.s.l.) are possibly threatened (either highly or slightly) by the large occurrence of T. bicolor, because they are present at elevations where T. bicolor is widespread. No outbreaks of T. bicolor have yet been reported in the Czech Republic, but with the increasing amount of beech planted, combined with global climate change, the possibility of outbreaks in the future cannot be excluded.

The European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus is a pest causing severe damage in forests dominated by Norway spruce in Europe. Microorganisms play essential roles in bark beetles, including nutrition, fitness as well as in overcoming host defenses. Here, we performed high-throughput 16S rRNA metabarcoding of I. typographus across different populations in Europe, to assess its bacterial community. We investigated four postglacial refugial areas in Europe and focused specifically on a current bark beetle hot spot in the Dolomites where we compared populations with different epidemiological phases (outbreaking vs. non-outbreaking) and across different seasons (pre-overwintering vs. overwintering). Our results show that the bacterial community structure varied among populations from the refugial areas and between different regions within the Dolomites. We found a significant difference in the bacterial community between pre-overwintering and overwintering individuals, but we did not find differences between epidemic and endemic populations. The prevalence of the genera Erwinia (which was present in all individuals) and Pseudoxanthomonas (present in almost all individuals) across all populations suggests that these taxa form the core bacterial community of I. typographus. Furthermore, several additional bacterial taxa occurred in all populations, but with variable frequencies. This study highlights a complex interaction of I. typographus and various bacterial taxa across different regions and ecological phases and provides new insights into the role of microorganisms in the biology of this important pest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution of Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann, 1868, and Dendroctonus mexicanus Hopkins, 1905, was determined from 2020 to 2021 in the Tixtlancingo ejido. The information came from two surveys because, despite the abundant forested areas in this geographical area of the state of Guerrero, Mexico, economic resources for pest biomonitoring are limited. However, it was possible to identify the presence of 76 outbreaks affecting 1117.697 hectares and 95,078 trees, totaling 14,223.8 m3 of standing timber volume. In 2020, 28 outbreaks were reported, with the eastern spatial distribution showing the most damage from bark beetles, particularly in outbreaks 7 and 14 of the surveyed area. The most affected conifers were Pinus maximinoi H. E. Moore (44.71%), Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl. (39.93%), and Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl. (15.36%). The affected timber volume was observed in diameter categories of 30 cm for the three pine species, with infestation of 90,549 trees (13,497.6 m3 t.t.v. (total tree volume)) across 1057.64 hectares. In 2021, 48 outbreaks were recorded, with the northeastern and southern parts of the surveyed area showing the most damage from the bark beetle. The trees most affected by the bark beetle were P. oocarpa (59.17%), P. maximinoi (33.94%), and P. pseudostrobus (6.89%). It was observed that the affected volume occurred in trees with diameter categories of 50 cm for the three pine species, affecting 4529 trees (726.214 m3 t.t.v.) distributed over 60.06 hectares. The contribution of this work lies in establishing a baseline for monitoring damage caused by this beetle, which affects forest resources and diminishes the possibility of maintaining carbon capture areas in the medium and long term, thus impacting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 agenda, specifically Goals 11, 13, and 15.

In response to the shortcomings of traditional pest detection methods, such as inadequate accuracy and slow detection speeds, a lightweight forestry pest image recognition model based on an improved YOLOv8 architecture is proposed. Initially, given the limited availability of real deep forest pest image data in the wild, data augmentation techniques, including random rotation, translation, and Mosaic, are employed to expand and enhance the dataset. Subsequently, the traditional Conv (convolution) layers in the neck module of YOLOv8 are replaced with lightweight GSConv, and the Slim Neck design paradigm is utilized for reconstruction to reduce computational costs while preserving model accuracy. Furthermore, the CBAM attention mechanism is introduced into the backbone network of YOLOv8 to enhance the feature extraction of crucial information, thereby improving detection accuracy. Finally, WIoU is employed as a replacement for the traditional CIOU to enhance the overall performance of the detector. The experimental results demonstrate that the improved model exhibits a significant advantage in the field of forestry pest detection, achieving precision and recall rates of 98.9% and 97.6%, respectively. This surpasses the performance of the current mainstream network models.

Balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae; BWA) is an invasive forest pest in the US whose infestation in fir forests can cause widespread tree mortality. A growing body of evidence suggests that the severity of BWA's effects is linked to climatic conditions, where sites featuring seasonally warmer temperatures tend to demonstrate higher degrees of insect-induced forest degradation. Thus, a warming climate may promote the expansion of BWA-driven damage, particularly in highly susceptible subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) forests. The degree to which climate change may foster BWA infestation and the relationship between current and future infestation damage severity are largely unknown. To understand BWA's potential climate-driven impacts on subalpine fir forests now and in the future, we built a field-validated, spatially explicit predictive model that estimates BWA infestation severity as a function of locally downscaled temperature variables. Using only four seasonal temperature variables, our model was able to explain over 78% of variance in measured severity. We applied that model to the prediction of severity for five different time periods (2020, 2040, 2060, 2080, and 2100), with the 2040 and onward predictions being driven by four separate climatic shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585). These high resolution (∼30 m) maps were compared to spatially coincident modeled estimates of subalpine fir aboveground biomass, the results of which provide valuable insight into the degree to which BWA may drive forest degradation, loss of ecosystem services, and increase in available fuels. In northern Utah, the southeasternmost extent of BWA infestation in the western US, the two major mountain ranges, Wasatch and Uinta, demonstrated very different climatic susceptibility to infestation damage, with the former being highly exposed to BWA-induced degradation under even moderate climate projections, and the latter being fairly robust against BWA's effects in all but the most extreme climate scenarios. In 2020, 41% of the study area's subalpine fir biomass is climatically exposed to some level of damage from BWA. By 2100, even under moderate climate projections (SSP245), 79% will be exposed, with 37% predicted to feature relatively high severity. By placing our results within the context of the Resist, Accept, Direct land management framework, we offer spatially explicit guidance to inform current and future silvicultural practices to mitigate future damage to subalpine fir forests at the leading edge of BWA expansion in the western US. • BWA's damaging effects are highly predictable with high resolution temperature data. • We map 2020 – 2100 climatic exposure to BWA damage under four climate scenarios. • Comparing damage maps to biomass quantifies ecosystem effects and aids management. • In 2020, 41% of study area exposed to BWA effects, mainly in Wasatch Mountains. • By 2100, even under moderate climate projections, 79% of study area exposed to BWA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding variation in tree regeneration among species and sites, and how well forest size class distribution (seedlings, saplings, and trees) portends long-term species compositional change, may assist managing forests during contemporary global change rapidly altering forests, such as after invasion by introduced pests. In northwestern Ohio, one of the North American regions longest invaded by emerald ash borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis), we 1) examined variation in size class abundance among tree species and sites in 22 forested wetlands in 2018 and 2021; and 2) assessed how closely size class distribution of tree species in 2005, at the onset of EAB invasion before Fraxinus trees died, forecasted observed forest change during the next 17 years. In 2018 and 2021, three major groups of tree species emerged with respect to their frequency across size classes: 1) species commonly in all three, or at least two, size classes on a site, 2) species frequent in only one size class, which varied but was often seedlings, and 3) species almost always present only as trees, with little advance regeneration. Shade tolerance correlated with species occurring in all three size classes. Among sites in 2018 and 2021, abundance of regeneration and similarity of species composition across size classes varied between years (largely from fluctuations in seedlings) and with site factors. Sites with the least regeneration had high soil available water capacity and high cover of graminoids. On long-term sites after the onset of EAB invasion in 2005, all seedling-to-sapling and sapling-to-tree advancements recorded through 2021 were from species already present in 2005, and only shade-tolerant species (e.g., Ulmus americana) advanced. Results suggest that there is substantial variation in advance regeneration availability among species and sites in forested wetlands across the EAB-invaded landscape. Portions of this variability were structured into well-demarcated groups of similarly responding species and sites, were associated with species traits such as shade tolerance and site factors such as soil texture, and were prognostic of forest changes within the first two decades after EAB invasion. • Tree species grouped according to their distribution across size classes. • Occurrence as only seedlings or trees was more common than in all sizes. • Shade-tolerant species most commonly occurred across all size classes. • High soil water capacity and graminoids correlated with minimal tree regeneration. • All tree recruitment through 2021 originated from species already present in 2005. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]