Current status of Ips amitinus Eichh. (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) in North-West Russia

Abstract

Through continuous range expansion the eight-toothed bark beetle Ips amitinus Eichh. has colonized the whole St.Petersburg region and now is nearly as common as Ips typographus L. though less numerous. Valamo archipelago is the only spruce-forest territory not yet colonized by I. amitinus. Data strongly suggest that the most probable route for invasion of I. amitinus to Finland was the route from Estonia bypassing the Gulf of Finland, through the St.Petersburg area and the Isthmus Karelicus. Also new captures of the species more than 300 kilometres to the south-east of previously known occurrences are recorded.