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Overview

The larger eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) is considered a serious pest on spruce in Europe and has recently been found in the wider environment in England as part of routine plant health surveillance activity.

The beetle is mainly a secondary pest, preferring stressed or weakened trees. However, under the right environmental conditions, beetle numbers can increase enough to result in attacks on healthy trees.

If left uncontrolled, the beetle, in association with pathogenic fungi (particularly the blue stain fungus Endoconidiophora polonica), has the potential to cause significant damage to Britain’s spruce-based forestry and timber industries.

There is no evidence that Ips typographus is spreading in England - the latest establishments are likely to have come directly from the continent and are not related to the original 2018 finding.

Symptoms

Adult beetles are dormant and hibernate over winter under the bark of trees, logs and leaf litter. They then re-emerge in spring, when the temperature rises above 20°C.

The beetle prefers stressed or weakened trees e.g. windblown, damaged and recently felled spruce trees, where, under the right environmental conditions, beetle numbers can increase. Inspection of trees in this category should be a priority.

Also look for standing individual and groups of dead trees. This arises when the beetles ‘mass attack’ trees, overcoming the trees’ usual defences by a combination of large numbers and blue stain fungus carried by adult beetles. Under the right environmental conditions, this phase can lead to extensive tree deaths.

Adult females lay eggs along a linear gallery system from which larval galleries radiate, becoming wider as the larvae grow. The pattern shows in the bark and in the surface of the wood, and is unique to Ips typographus. This symptom should be looked for in any dead trees, whether standing or fallen.

Reporting sightings

Please remain vigilant for signs of Ips typographus. If you think you have spotted signs of this beetle anywhere in Great Britain then please tell us using our Tree Alert form. You can also submit a tree alert form if your spruce woodland is exhibiting signs of decline or stress, and we may arrange for a follow up inspection.

Report suspected sightings in Northern Ireland using Treecheck, the all-Ireland tree pest reporting tool.

Felling and movement restrictions

To protect the country against this pest, under powers conferred by The Official Controls (Plant Health and Genetically Modified Organisms) (England) Regulations 2019, the Forestry Commission has introduced a Notice to demarcate an area around the confirmed outbreak sites restricting the movement and methods of forest operations.

A revised Notice (PDF, 261 KB, 4 pages) came into force on the 20 July 2022 taking over from the Notice (PDF, 265 KB, 4 pages) of the 22 December 2021.

The demarcated area has been extended to cover parts of Hampshire, whilst continuing to cover Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, City and County of the City of London, Greater London, East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent and Essex within the boundaries shown in the IPS Demarcated Areas (PDF, 275 KB, 1 page) and within the Notice (PDF, 261 KB, 4 pages), which also contains a description of the boundary.

The Notice introduced the following conditions:

(i) Restrictions on the felling of susceptible material without prior notification. Landowners must provide notice of their intention to fell relevant material at least 14 days in advance of any felling in the demarcated areas. Felling may only commence once written authorisation is provided the Forestry Commission.

(ii) Restrictions on the killing of trees (either by ring-barking, chemical injection or application, mechanical means, biological control or arboricultural intervention) of the genus Picea A. Dietre over three meters in height, without prior notification. All operations must be agreed in writing by the Forestry Commission.

(iii) Prohibition on susceptible material being left in situ, unless authorised in writing by a plant health inspector.

(iv) Prohibition on the movement of spruce (Picea) material with bark (for example, wood with bark, isolated bark, live trees over 3 metres) that has originated within the demarcated area. Provision is made to enable plant health inspectors to authorise movements and processing of spruce material with bark from the demarcated area where this can be achieved without risking the spread of Ips typographus. Authorisations can be requested with the applications forms Application to receive and process Spruce V1 (PDF, 176 KB, 1 page) and Authorisation to process Spruce V1 (PDF, 198 KB, 4 pages).

Processing (or utilisation as biomass) of spruce material which has originated in the demarcated area may only be undertaken at premises authorised by the Forestry Commission to receive this material.

Watch this video guidance on the movement restrictions of spruce trees

See a quick and easy infographic guide on the movement restrictions of spruce trees and spruce material within the Demarcated Area.

For authorisation to commence felling, stack timber, or to dispatch timber from a harvesting site, within the demarcated area please contact ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk. For authorisation to process spruce material that has originated from the demarcated area please use the links to application forms above or contact the email address.

Non-spruce conifer timber that is bark-free is not subject to the same movement restrictions, so it can be moved and processed without need for inspection or authorisation.

For further information Plant Passporting see Register as a professional operator to trade in wood, issue plant passports and apply ISPM15 marking.

Export guidelines

Guidance on exporting wood and wood products to the EU (and rest of the world) can be found on: Export wood, wood products and bark from Great Britain.

No phytosanitary export certificate is required for exporting to countries in the EU that don’t have a pest free areas status for Ips typographus.

Any movement of spruce from within the Demarcated Area to a point of export must still to be authorised by the Forestry Commission, and any point of despatch would also require authorisation by the Forestry Commission as a place to receive and process material.

For authorisations, contact ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk

Restocking guidelines

Over the next 10 years (2024 to 2034), the Forestry Commission is encouraging landowners to remove susceptible spruce (stressed, windblown) from the Ips typographus demarcated area within the South East and replant with other species. Support is available through Tree Health Pilot, which provides funding for landowners who are eligible to facilitate this objective.

Guidance is available on restocking woodlands following the removal of spruce trees within the Ips typographus demarcated area. This includes what is permissible under both legal requirements and in grant funded situations when spruce trees are felled under Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) and in proactively felled high-risk areas.

The guidance also includes a breakdown of requirements across different sites including Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and other protected landscapes (e.g. national parks). Read Ips typographus: restocking guidance.

Tree Health Pilot scheme

Landowners and managers in the IPS Demarcated Areas (PDF, 275 KB, 1 page) may qualify for support to fell and restock woodlands under the Tree Health Pilot scheme.

You can also read the Tree Health Pilot case studies for the proactive management of spruce within the Ips typographus demarcated area, supported by the Tree Health Pilot.

Contingency plan

The larger eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) – contingency plan is under review. Visit the plant health portal contingency plans for more information.

Further information

You can find more-detailed information about this pest on the Forest Research website.

You can also sign up the Forestry Commission eAlert providing the latest information on tree pests and disease and grants/funding support. Sign up now.