Pest categorisation of Ips typographus

The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle,Ips typographusL. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), for the EU.I. typographusis a well-definedand distinguishable species, recognised mainly as a pest of spruce (Piceaspp.) in Eurasia. It alsoattacks other conifers such asAbiesspp.,Larixspp.,Pinusspp. andPseudotsuga menziesii. Native toEurasia,I. typographushas spread from the native range of spruce to new areas in Eurasia wherespruce has been planted, and is now widely distributed throughout the EU (22 Member states). It is aquarantine pest listed in Annex IIB of Council Directive 2000/29/EC for Ireland and United Kingdom asprotected zones. Coniferous wood, bark and wood packaging material are considered as pathways forthe pest, which is also able to disperse byflight over tens of kilometres. The insects normally establishon fallen trees but can also mass-attack healthy trees, killing millions of spruces. The males producepheromones that attract conspecifics of both sexes. Each male attracts one to four females; eachfemale produces 2–80 offspring. The insects also inoculate pathogenic fungi to their hosts. There areone to three generations per year. The wide current geographic range ofI. typographussuggests thatit is able to establish anywhere in the EU where its hosts are present. Sanitary thinning or clear-fellingare the major control methods. Pheromone mass trapping is presently judged unreliable because ofthe large dispersal capacity of the pest. Quarantine measures are implemented to prevent entry in yetuncolonised areas. All criteria assessed by EFSA for consideration as potential protected zonequarantine pest are met. The criteria for consideringI. typographusas a potential regulated non-quarantine pest are not met since plants for planting are not a pathway