First report: Phloeotribus scarabaeoides (Bernard, 1788) in the Czech Republic—could the new lifestyle of the population cause the spread of a new bark beetle to Central Europe?

Abstract

The olive bark beetle Phloeotribus scarabaeoides (Bernard, 1788) is a species native to the entire Mediterranean region of Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Only isolated cases of introduction without further establishment are known from northern European countries, including Great Britain, Hungary, and Austria. In April 2023, small stems of Olea europaea infested with Phloeotribus scarabaeoides were found in the town of Ždánice, South Moravia, Czech Republic. In June 2023, 253 specimens emerged in the laboratory from 80-cm-long stems with a diameter of 8 cm. A detailed survey of olive trees in the vicinity of the find, as well as an investigation of related tree species (Fraxinus sp. and Syringa sp.), revealed no further localities where the species occurred. To date, the record is classified as an accidental introduction.