Pest categorisation of Ips duplicatus

The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the double-spined bark beetle,Ipsduplicatus(Sahlberg, 1836) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), for the EU.I. duplicatusis awell-defined and distinguishable species, native to Europe and attacking mainly spruce (Piceaspp.) butalso observed on pine (Pinusspp.) and larch (Larixspp.). It is distributed in 15 EU Member States and islocally spreading in some of them.I. duplicatusis listed in Annex IIB of Council Directive 2000/29/EC.Protected zones are in place in Ireland, Greece and the United Kingdom. Wood, wood products, bark,and wood packaging material are considered as pathways for this pest, which is also able to disperse byflight. The insects mostly attacks scattered individual standing trees in the stands, often when the treesare weakened by dry conditions or by pathogens, and they very rarely infest fallen or cut logs. Themales produce pheromones that attract conspecifics of both sexes. Each male attracts 1–5 females andthey establish a brood system; each female produces 1–60 offspring. The insects also inoculate theirhosts with pathogenic fungi. There are one to three generations per year. The current geographic rangeofI. duplicatussuggests that it is able to establish in most of the EU, including the protected zones,where its hosts are present. Sanitary thinning or clear-felling and pheromone trapping are the usualcontrol methods. All criteria for consideration as potential protected zone quarantine pest are met. Thecriteria for consideringI. duplicatusas a potential regulated non-quarantine pest are not met sinceplants for planting are not viewed as a pathway