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Bark and Wood-Boring Insects: Past and Present Research and Essential...
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Bark and Wood-Boring Insects: Past and Present Research and Essential Future Knowledge—2nd Edition

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 2318

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ferenc Lakatos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Forest and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Forestry, University of Sopron, Bajcsy-Zs. u. 4., 9400 Sopron, Hungary
Interests: bark and ambrosia beetles; biogeography; invasive/non-native species; pest monitoring and management; climate change and insects; population dynamics.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dimitrios N. Avtzis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Forest Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Vasilika, 57006 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: forest entomology; biogeography and distribution of forest insects; innovative methods to control the damage caused by forest pests
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A couple of years after our first Special Issue on “Bark and Wood-Boring Insects”, exciting recent advances in this field, coupled with constantly increasing concern over how these species respond to climate change, mean that it is time for a second and even more comprehensive edition. This Special Issue will assemble studies and advances on bark and wood-boring insects, exploring topics range from systematics and population dynamics to invasion pathways and, ultimately, management strategies aiming to reduce impacts on forests worldwide. With this in mind, we welcome manuscripts on the phylogeography, population genetics, and dynamics of bark and wood-boring insects; solutions to the invasion pathways that result from their expansion beyond their natural distribution, natural enemies, and role in population dynamics; and, finally, evaluations of management approaches that can assist in mitigating the detrimental effects of population outbreaks.

Prof. Dr. Ferenc Lakatos
Dr. Dimitrios Avtzis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bark beetles
  • scolytinae
  • platypodinae
  • wood-boring insects
  • population dynamics

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3537 KiB  
Article
Assessing Habitat Suitability for Phloeosinus aubei Perris in China: A MaxEnt-Based Predictive Analysis
by Sabbir Ahmad, Danping Xu, Xinqi Deng, Zhipeng He, Habib Ali and Zhihang Zhuo
Insects 2025, 16(6), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16060576 - 29 May 2025
Viewed by 534
Abstract
Climate change reshapes species distributions, necessitating proactive measures to mitigate ecological impacts. This study investigates the potential spread of Phloeosinus aubei, a bark beetle with significant ecological consequences, under future climate scenarios in China. Using the MaxEnt model, we integrated occurrence records [...] Read more.
Climate change reshapes species distributions, necessitating proactive measures to mitigate ecological impacts. This study investigates the potential spread of Phloeosinus aubei, a bark beetle with significant ecological consequences, under future climate scenarios in China. Using the MaxEnt model, we integrated occurrence records and scientific literature with bioclimatic and terrain variables to predict habitat suitability. The results reveal that P. aubei’s distribution is highly influenced by precipitation and temperature, with key variables like annual precipitation (bio12, 30.4% contribution) and the minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio6, 29% contribution) driving habitat suitability. Notably, under high-emission scenarios (SSP5-8.5), high-suitability areas could expand by 82.29% by the 2050s due to warming-induced precipitation changes in southwestern China. Model validation confirms a high predictive accuracy, with an AUC value of 0.92, underscoring the reliability of these projections. These findings highlight the beetle’s potential to colonize new regions, posing risks to forest ecosystems. The study underscores the need for adaptive management strategies, including early detection and climate-resilient forestry practices, to safeguard vulnerable ecosystems from invasive species under climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bark and Wood-Boring Insects: Past and Present Research and Essential Future Knowledge—2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 2449 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Analysis and Identification of Chemosensory Membrane Proteins in the Head of Euplatypus parallelus
by Qi Wu, Xiang Zhou, Zheyuan Xu, Xufeng Zhang, Hongchao Yuan and Jixing Guo
Insects 2025, 16(5), 504; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050504 - 7 May 2025
Viewed by 496
Abstract
Euplatypus parallelus is a polyphagous pest capable of harming multiple plant species. Adult beetles invade tree trunks by boring holes, which negatively impacts the trees’ growth and may result in tree death. E. parallelus depends on plant volatiles to identify and locate appropriate [...] Read more.
Euplatypus parallelus is a polyphagous pest capable of harming multiple plant species. Adult beetles invade tree trunks by boring holes, which negatively impacts the trees’ growth and may result in tree death. E. parallelus depends on plant volatiles to identify and locate appropriate hosts for feeding or reproduction, with its olfactory system playing a vital role in volatile detection. In this work, we applied transcriptomics, phylogenetic analysis, and expression analysis to investigate four chemosensory membrane protein gene families that play a role in olfaction in E. parallelus. Based on the annotation analysis, 41 odorant receptors (ORs), 12 gustatory receptors (GRs), 14 ionotropic receptors (IRs), and 4 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) were identified in the head. We used differential gene expression (DGE) and fragments per kilobase per million (FPKM) values to compare the transcription levels of chemosensory membrane protein gene families between males and females. The data indicate that the chemosensory membrane protein gene families in E. parallelus exhibit different expression levels in male and female heads, with some genes showing significant differences and displaying sex-biased expression. These results offer a basis for future exploration of the functions of chemosensory membrane protein gene families in E. parallelus and offer a theoretical framework for designing innovative eco-friendly control technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bark and Wood-Boring Insects: Past and Present Research and Essential Future Knowledge—2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 7250 KiB  
Article
Interspecific Mating Is Trivial and Asymmetrical Between Two Destructive Anoplophora Beetles
by Tian Xu, Wenbo Wang, Xiaoyuan Chen, Jing Ma, Ruixu Chen, Xue Sun, Yang Yang, Guohao Li, Yadi Deng and Dejun Hao
Insects 2025, 16(4), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16040352 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 498
Abstract
The Asian longhorn beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis, and citrus longhorn beetle (CLB), Anoplophora chinensis, are two destructive invasive wood-boring pests, with high similarities in morphology, geographical distribution, host range, life cycle, adult behaviors and male-produced pheromone, implying a potential existence of [...] Read more.
The Asian longhorn beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis, and citrus longhorn beetle (CLB), Anoplophora chinensis, are two destructive invasive wood-boring pests, with high similarities in morphology, geographical distribution, host range, life cycle, adult behaviors and male-produced pheromone, implying a potential existence of interspecific interactions. Matings have been found to occur across females and males of the two species when manually paired in confined spaces. However, interspecific mating and its regulating factors are unclear between sympatric populations on hosts. Herein, by observing mountings and tracking the beetles that freely coexisted on host branches in cages, we found that the majority of mountings appeared within species; however, interspecific mountings occasionally occurred between male CLBs and female ALBs. The CLB was more active than the ALB at night. It seems that males actively searched for female ALBs, while the inverse was the case with CLBs. The main release periods of shared pheromone components overlapped between the two species, while compound ratios had significant differences. Our results unveil a trivial and asymmetrical interspecific mating between ALBs and CLBs, implying a risk of co-outbreaks of the two species in either native or invaded areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bark and Wood-Boring Insects: Past and Present Research and Essential Future Knowledge—2nd Edition)
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Review

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14 pages, 645 KiB  
Review
Overview and Recent Advances in Bioassays to Evaluate the Potential of Entomopathogenic Fungi Against Ambrosia Beetles
by Jesús Enrique Castrejón-Antonio and Patricia Tamez-Guerra
Insects 2025, 16(6), 615; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16060615 - 10 Jun 2025
Viewed by 292
Abstract
Ambrosia beetles, known for their symbiotic relationship with fungi cultivated within the tissues of host trees, have become significant pests, particularly when they serve as vectors for pathogenic fungi such as Raffaelea lauricola. Given the regulatory and environmental constraints for chemical application [...] Read more.
Ambrosia beetles, known for their symbiotic relationship with fungi cultivated within the tissues of host trees, have become significant pests, particularly when they serve as vectors for pathogenic fungi such as Raffaelea lauricola. Given the regulatory and environmental constraints for chemical application as a tool for their control, entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) represent a promising pest management alternative. This review presents an overview of bioassays assessing the pathogenicity and virulence of EPF against ambrosia beetles. Most studies have been performed in vivo (artificial diet) under laboratory conditions, focusing on exotic species and testing EPF genera such as Beauveria, Metarhizium, Isaria, and Purpureocillium. However, variations in inoculation methods, environmental conditions, and fungal formulations, have led to diverse results. In addition, the complex biology of these insects, particularly their dependence on symbiotic fungi, represents significant methodological challenges. Field trials (in situ bioassays) are still scarce, and there is a need to move toward standardized protocols and more objective experimental models that consider not only insects’ behavior but also ecological factors. Bridging this gap is essential for successfully implementing EPF-based strategies to assess ambrosia beetles’ biocontrol. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bark and Wood-Boring Insects: Past and Present Research and Essential Future Knowledge—2nd Edition)
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