Radosław Plewa’s research while affiliated with Forest Research Institute and other places

Semiochemical-baited traps are a key component of post-border surveillance for detection of non-native and potentially invasive bark and wood-boring beetles (Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae: Scolytinae) at risk of introduction in untreated woody materials used in global trade. Because the particular species that may arrive with imported goods is unknown, plant protection agencies need trapping protocols that effectively survey all three taxa. Baiting traps with host volatiles and aggregation/sex pheromones of longhorn beetles increases efficacy of detecting Cerambycidae and Scolytinae, but its effect on detection of Agrilus species and other jewel beetles is unknown. In this multi-country trapping study we found that the addition of ethanol and common aggregation/sex pheromones of longhorn beetles to green multi-funnel traps placed in the mid-upper forest canopy had negative effects on abundance of Agrilus species and other jewel beetles collected but no effect on their species richness, and significant positive effects on species richness and abundance of Cerambycidae and Scolytinae. Baiting green canopy traps with longhorn beetle pheromones increased the efficacy of traps for detecting total target taxa of bark and wood-boring beetles at risk of international movement in untreated woody materials. This information is beneficial for the design of multi-taxa surveys, potentially saving money and resources without decreasing trapping efficacy.

The paper presents data on the occurrence of 15 beetle species new to the Polish part of the Białowieża Forest. The beetles were caught during the inventory of the Białowieża Forest carried out from May to September 2023. The beetles were caught using purple multiple-funnel (Lindgren) traps, which were set up in selected locations within the study area. The captured beetles belong to 9 families: Curculionidae (1 species), Latridiidae (3), Melandryidae (1), Melyridae (1), Scarabaeidae (1), Scraptiidae (1), Sphindidae (1), Staphylinidae (4) and Tenebrionidae (2). Among them, Corticaria lukashuki Saluk, 2015 (Latridiidae) and Rushia parreyssii (Mulsant, 1856) (Melandryidae) are new species for the fauna of Poland. In addition, Stenichnus styriacus Franz, 1960 (Staphylinidae) is the second country records. The occurrence of the rare saproxylic beetle Protaetia fieberi

Microorganisms are integral to ecosystem functioning and host adaptation, yet the understanding of microbiomes in diverse beetle taxa remains limited. We conducted a comprehensive study to investigate the microbial composition of two red flat bark beetle species, Cucujus haematodes and C. cinnaberinus , and assessed the influence of host taxonomic relatedness and host tree species on their microbiomes. We sampled 67 larvae of two Cucujus taxa taken from 11 host tree species. 16S rRNA V4 fragment sequencing revealed distinct microbial communities associated with each Cucujus species, with host tree species significantly influencing microbiome composition. Alpha and beta diversity metrics indicated significant differences between microbial communities in both beetle and host tree species. Principal component analysis indicated distinct clustering based on host tree species but not for beetle species. This overlap could be attributed to the similar ecology of both Cucujus species. The detection of various bacteria, among which some have already been reported in saproxylophagous beetles, suggests that the red flat bark beetles ingest the bacteria via foraging on other wood‐dwelling invertebrates. Our findings show the complex interplay between host taxonomy, microhabitat and microbial composition in Cucujus , providing insights into their ecological roles and conservation implications. This research helps to fill the gap in understanding the microbial dynamics of saproxylic beetles, sheds light on factors shaping their microbiomes and highlights the importance of considering both host species and environmental conditions when studying insect‐microbe interactions in forest ecosystems.

In April 2019, 25.4 ha of woodland in the Płaska Forest District in the SE part of the Augustów Forest were damaged by fire. Between 2020-2022 a survey of beetles in the burnt and unburnt (control) parts of the forest was carried out. The insects were collected in IBL-2bis window (= flight interception) traps. 781 species classified in 67 families were identified. Among these species, Acrotrichis strandi (Ptiliidae) was found in Poland for the first time, and 41 species were new records for the Masurian Lake District. During the studies, two species protected in Poland (Boros schneideri, Cucujus cinnaberinus), and several more from the Polish Red List of Animals, the Polish Red Book of Animals and the European Red List of Saproxylic Beetles, were recorded. Fifteen of the beetles recorded are relicts of primeval forests in Central Europe: Boros

The beetles of the Knyszyńska Forest (KF) (NE Poland) were studied between the years 1979-2023. The KF covers an area of 1767 km2. The following collecting methods were used: various models of self-trapping, entomological net, hydrobiological net, shaking beetles on an entomological umbrella, direct colecting by hands, searching potential feeding grounds of saproxylic beetles, rearing from collected inhabited host material (cambio- and xylophages), collecting to artificial light sources. Based on our own research and literature data, a total of 2075 species of beetles belonging to 90 families were found; of these, 863 species were recorded from the area for the first time. Atheta sodermani (Staphylinidae) and Podagrica menetriesi (Chrysomelidae) – are new to the fauna of Poland, and 157 species – to the entire region of Podlasie. The largest number of representatives of Staphylinidae were caught – 348 species, followed by Curculionidae – 292, Carabidae – 158, Chrysomelidae – 138 and Cerambycidae – 101. Among the listed taxa, 402 rare and protected species were detailed described and illustrated. These include Natura 2000 species: Rhysodes sulcatus, Boros schneideri, Cucujus cinnaberinus, Osmoderma barnabita and Oxyporus mannerheimii. The mentioned species, plus Cucujus haematodes, are also under strict protection in Poland. Partially protected are: Carabus convexus, C. coriaceus, C. glabratus, C. menetriesi, Calosoma inquisitor, Leptura thoracica, Stictoleptura variicornis and Ceruchus chrysomelinus. 80 species of beetles from various families are on the Red List of Endangered and Threatened Animals in Poland, 36 species on the list of Primeval forest relict beetles of Central Europe, and 166 on the European Red List of Saproxylic Beetles. Among the most valuable of the listed species are those, that have at most 1-2 current, known localities in the country: Agrilus pseudocyaneus, Aspidiphorus lareyniei, Astylogethes subrugosus, Aulonothroscus laticollis, Bibloplectus spinosus, Cryptophagus obsoletus, Episernus tatarinovae, Glischrochilus tremulae, Hydroporus brevis, Ilybius wasastjernae, Lopheros lineatus, Microrhagus emyi, Nacerdes carniolica, Orthoperus nikitskyi, Oxyporus mannerheimii, Pseudanostirus globicollis, Pteryx splendens, Stictoleptura variicornis. Beetles found in the Knyszynska Forest Landscape Park, which covers about 41.2% of the study area, were characterized. 1858 species of beetles were found in the Park, which is 89.4% of all those recorded in the KF. The diversity of beetles in twenty-five nature reserves located in KF was also analyzed. They cover a total area of 51.7 square kilometers, which is about 2.9% of the study area. The highest number of species was shown from the “Budzisk” reserve – 602, followed by “Góra Pieszczana” – 363, “Krzemianka” – 362, “Jesionowe Góry” – 336, “Las Cieliczański” – 300 and “Krzemienne Góry” – 271. A total of 1356 species were listed in the reserves, which is 65.3% of all those known in the KF. The most valuable beetle fauna has the oldest reserve in the KF – “Budzisk”. Found here include: Agrilus pseudocyaneus, Aulonothroscus laticollis, Microrhagus emyi, Lopheros lineatus, Episernus tatarinovae, Nacerdes carniolica and Stictoleptura variicornis. The listed beetles were characterized in terms of their preferred environments. Among forest species, saproxylic beetles dominate, with 841 species. Beetles inhabiting the soil environment during their individual development were recorded with 688 species. In addition, 394 species were found to be mycetophilic, 328 – hydrophilic, 174 – anthophilic, 127 – pyrophilic, 105 – coprophilic, 88 – necrophilic, 47 – nidicolous, 46 – synanthropic, 34 – myrmecophilic and 32 – xerothermophilic; 137 species of aquatic beetles were recorded (the above categories are not mutually exclusive). The fauna of KF Coleoptera was compared with other natural sites and protected areas in Poland. Compared general biodiversity and particular taxonomic and ecological groups. The species richness of beetles in the KF was assessed as high – more than 34% of all beetles recorded from Poland have been found in this area. The best known families are: Boridae, Byturidae, Dascillidae, Lymexylidae, Nosodendridae, Noteridae, Peltidae, Sphaeritidae, Sphindidae and Thymalidae (100% of the Polish fauna); Mycetophagidae – 92.9%, Cerylonidae – 83.3%, Lucanidae – 71.4%, Aderidae – 71.4%, Eucnemidae – 68.2%. Among the species-rich families, Nitidulidae – 53.1% and Cerambycidae – 51.3% also belong to the well-studied ones. The paper discusses the problems of protecting the species richness of KF beetles. It is postulated that: (1)enlarge existing nature reserves, or establish new ones, so that their total area reaches 5-10% of KF, (2) gradually increase the amount of dead wood in management forests, especially in older stands to at least 10 m3/ha,(3)improve the quality of dead wood, i.e. primarily to ensure that it contains the proportion of all speciespresent in the stand and the presence of standing dead trees and thick lying logs in all stages of decomposition, (4) to rebuild ecological corridors between actual and potential habitats of valuable saproxylicspecies within the KF, to achieve ecological connectivity with areas outside the KF, (5) to continue the studyof KF beetles, as good knowledge determines their effective protection.

In the summer of 2023, small‐leaved lime trees ( Tilia cordata ) in the capital city of Warsaw were found to be dying along transport routes. The stem fragments collected for analysis showed the presence of necrosis near larval galleries caused by Agrilus viridis (L.). After a detailed microbiological analysis of both the tissues taken directly from the necroses and from the larval galleries, the presence of five different bacteria was confirmed, including Gibsiella quercinecans , which is responsible for the phenomenon of oak stand dieback known as Acute Oak Dieback. The pathogenicity tests carried out confirmed that this bacterium is also capable of causing necrosis on lime trees. The fact that this bacterium was found in the larval galleries of the polyphagous A. viridis could also indicate that it was vectored into the lime tree from other species, for example, oaks. The results obtained are the first report on the occurrence of G. quercinecans on lime trees in Poland.

Minute brown scavenger beetles (Coleoptera: Latridiidae) of the Notecka Forest. This paper presents the results of trapping beetles of the Latridiidae family in the Notecka Forest in western Poland. The material was collected in 2022 as part of the study on the pine sawyer beetle Monochamus galloprovincialis (Olivier, 1800) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), using IBL-5 traps of various colors baited with the attractant Galloprotect Pack (SEDQ, Spain). During the study, 14 species of Latridiidae were collected (424 individuals), including Melanophthalma rhenana Rücker et Johnson, 2007-a new species in the Polish fauna. Corticaria alleni Johnson, 1974 and Enicmus planipennis Strand, 1940 were recorded for the first time in the Wielkopolska-Kujawy Lowland. Taking into account the results of the present study and previously published data, 17 species are currently known from the Notecka Forest, which corresponds to about 22% of the Latridiidae fauna of Poland.

The genus Agrilus is one of the most diverse insect genera worldwide. The larval feeding activity causes extensive damage in both forests and orchards. In addition, more than 30 species have been introduced outside their native range so far, including the emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire. Thus, the availability of efficient trapping protocols for early detection of Agrilus species at entry points is of utmost importance. In this study we tested whether trapping protocols developed for surveillance of A. planipennis in North America were also effective for other Agrilus species. In particular, through a multi-country assessment we compared the efficacy of detecting Agrilus species on: (i) green glue-coated prism traps vs. green Fluon-coated multi-funnel traps when baited with the green leaf volatile (Z)-3-hexenol or left unbaited; and (ii) green multi-panel traps vs. green multi-panel traps baited with dead adult Agrilus beetles (decoys). A total of 23,481 individuals from 45 Agrilus species were caught. Trap design significantly affected both species richness and abundance of Agrilus species in several of the countries where the trapping experiments were carried out, and green prism traps outperformed green multi-funnel traps in most cases. On the contrary, the addition of a (Z)-3-hexenol lure or dead adult beetle decoys on to traps did not improve trap catches. Our study highlights that reliable trap models to survey Agrilus species are already available, but also that there is the clear need to further investigate chemical ecology of Agrilus species to develop semiochemical lures that can improve detection efficacy.

The pine sawyer beetle Monochamus galloprovincialis is the only known vector of the pine wood nematode (PWN) in Europe. Pheromone traps are one of the tools used for monitoring M. galloprovincialis and PWN. Numerous studies have been conducted to improve trapping efficiency, but the effects of habitat type and trap exposure in relation to forest have received the least attention. Bycatch of non−target species has also been rarely considered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of (1) site type such as forest interior, forest edge, and open field adjacent to forest, (2) open field type (clear−cut or plantation), (3) trap location (west or east) relative to the forest on catches of M. galloprovincialis and selected non−target insect species. The study plots were established in 86−91 years old Scots pine stands and adjacent open fields. White, PTFE−covered, cross−vane traps baited with Galloprotect Pack lure were used for insect capturing. Site type had a significant effect on catches of M. galloprovincialis and 14 non−target species. M. galloprovincialis, Hylurgus ligniperda, Spondylis buprestoides, and Prionychus ater were most abundant at the forest edge. Catches of three longhorn beetles (Acanthocinus aedilis, A. griseus, and Arhopalus rusticus) and three predatory species (Thanasimus formicarius, T. femoralis, and Corticeus pini) had a decreasing trend from the forest interior towards the open field. The opposite was observed for Chalcophora mariana, Phaenops cyanea, Magdalis violacea, Cardiophorus ruficollis, and Pseudocistela ceramboides. The west side of the forests was significantly preferred by M. galloprovincialis (females) and Ph. cyanea, while it was avoided by S. buprestoides, both Thanasimus species, and C. ruficollis. The type of open field had a significant effect on catches of seven non−target species but not on M. galloprovincialis catches. Possible causes of the observed patterns in insect catches are discussed. In summary, for efficient monitoring of M. galloprovincialis with reduced bycatch of beneficial insects traps should be deployed at the westerly exposed forest edge. This trap location can also be recommended for catching higher numbers of forest pests such as Ph. cyanea and H. ligniperda and minimizing bycatch of predatory beetles. Furthermore, trap placement a few meters from the tree line should reduce the probability of bark damage for oviposition and eventual PWN transmission to healthy trees by M. galloprovincialis females attracted to the traps.

Wiciokrzew siny (Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica Sevast.)-nowa roślina żywicielska larw Agrilus cyanescens Ratzeburg, 1837 ABSTRACT. Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica Sevast.)-a new host plant for larvae Agrilus cyanescens Ratzeburg, 1837 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). The paper presents first observations of Agrilus cyanescens Ratzeburg, 1837 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) feeding on the blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica Sevast.) in central part of Poland (Mazovian Lowland).