Eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus)

Latest news

Introduction of a prohibition on spruce planting in the Ips typographus demarcated area

The Forestry Commission announced the introduction of an additional control measure for the current Ips typographus demarcated area. A revised notice ‘Notice 7 (2024)’ implementing a prohibition on the planting of spruce trees came into force on 29 October 2024 across the demarcated area in the south-east of England and East Anglia. This is to prevent potential spread of the pest in line with the eradication action we’ve taken to manage outbreaks.

This prohibition restricts the planting of any spruce trees (of the genus Picea A. Dietr.) unless under the specified circumstances listed within Notice 7 (2024) (PDF, 1.24 MB, 5 pages).

Authorisation to plant spruce outside the scope of the specified exemptions may be granted in writing by the Forestry Commission. Read the latest news announcement.

Landowners should continue to check the health of spruce trees on their land, identifying stressed, fallen, and snapped trees, and taking action to remove them and any surrounding susceptible material.

The video, Beat the Beetle, explains the threat of Ips typographus on spruce trees, and gives advice on how woodland owners can help reduce the risk from this pest.

Watch the video: Beat the Beetle.

Overview

The eight-toothed 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 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.

Report sightings

If you think you have spotted signs of this beetle anywhere in Great Britain, 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. We may arrange for a follow up inspection.

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

Restrictions and prohibitions in the demarcated area

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 introduced a notice to demarcate an area around the confirmed outbreak sites. This is to restrict:

• the planting of spruce trees
• the felling, stacking and movement of spruce material
• the movement and methods of forest operations

The demarcated area covers parts of:

• Lincolnshire
• Bedfordshire
• Cambridgeshire
• Norfolk
• Suffolk
• Hampshire
• Berkshire
• Buckinghamshire
• Hertfordshire
• Surrey
• City and County of London
• Greater London
• East Sussex
• West Sussex
• Kent and Essex

All areas are shown in the the  Ips Demarcated Area (PDF, 3.08 MB, 1 page) and within the the  Notice 7 (2024) (PDF, 1.24 MB, 5 pages), which also contains a description of the boundary.

Notice 7 (2024) includes 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. Dietr over 3 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 A. Dietr) material with bark (for example, wood with bark, isolated bark, live trees over 3 metres) that has originated within the demarcated area.

(v) Prohibition on planting spruce (Picea A. Dietr) within the demarcated area, unless exempt as detailed within the notice, or authorised by either the Forestry Commission or the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This prohibition applies to any trees grown in the ground or within planting containers.

Planting of spruce

Within the demarcated area there is a prohibition in place on the planting of spruce trees, as introduced in Notice 7 (2024) (PDF, 1.24 MB, 5 pages). This applies to all landowners, land managers and professional operators.

Authorisations for planting of spruce within the demarcated area, outside of those situations already exempt within the Notice 7 (2024), will be granted on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to conditions set out by the Forestry Commission. Contact the Forestry Commission to check eligibility for authorisations before applying.

Read more on the exemptions and how to apply for an authorisation to plant spruce trees within the Ips typographus demarcated area.

Felling of spruce, and movement of timber

There are restrictions in place on the felling of spruce trees, the movement of spruce timber and spruce stacking in the demarcated area.

Watch the videothis video on the movement restrictions of spruce trees.

See the quick visual guide (PDF, 14.7 MB, 6 pages) on the movement restrictions of spruce trees and spruce material within the demarcated area.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.

For authorisation to commence felling, or to dispatch timber from a harvesting site, within the demarcated area email ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk.

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.

Read more about when you need plant passports.

Stacking timber

Authorisation is needed before adopting any approach of timber stacking.

Landowners or managers felling spruce and looking to stack timber in situ to season (dry out), must apply for authorisation to stack timber in the Ips typographus demarcated area.

Processing timber

Processing of spruce material that originated in the demarcated area must only take place at premises authorised by the Forestry Commission to receive this material.