Eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus)
Information about the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, including how to report sightings.
Latest news
Introduction of a prohibition on spruce planting in the Ips typographus demarcated area
The Forestry Commission announced the introduction of an additional control measure for the current Ips typographus demarcated area. A revised notice ‘Notice 7 (2024)’ implementing a prohibition on the planting of spruce trees came into force on 29 October 2024 across the demarcated area (DMA) in the south-east of England and East Anglia. This is to prevent potential spread of the pest in line with the eradication action we’ve taken to manage outbreaks.
This prohibition restricts the planting of any spruce trees (of the genus Picea A. Dietr.) unless under the specified circumstances listed within .
Authorisation to plant spruce outside the scope of the specified exemptions may be granted in writing by the Forestry Commission. Read the latest news announcement.
If you grow spruce in the following industries, read the guide on exemptions and what you need to do:
- Christmas tree growers
- arboretums
- landscapers and private residents
- nurseries
- foresters
Landowners should continue to check the health of spruce trees on their land, identifying stressed, fallen, and snapped trees, and taking action to remove them and any surrounding susceptible material.
The video, Beat the Beetle, explains the threat of Ips typographus on spruce trees, and gives advice on how woodland owners can help reduce the risk from this pest.
Watch the video: Beat the Beetle.
Action required: remove storm damaged trees
All landowners, managers and timber processors should remain vigilant for Ips typographus. It is important to continue taking the necessary action to rapidly remove storm damaged trees in the demarcated area.
With storm damage previously reported across England following storms Isha and Jocelyn and Kathleen in 2024, spruce trees that have fallen or snapped significantly increases the chances of Ips typographus occurring in spring/summer if another flight occurs from the continent. We recommend that spruce continue to be walked, with fallen or snapped trees identified and destroyed where possible.
Ips typographus feeds on live but significantly weakened trees, with snapped stems down to 8cm diameter being a key target. These trees will have lower resin pressure as they can’t draw water up from the roots, which weakens their ability to repel Ips attacks. Trees that have been pushed over but are leaning or hung up with roots still largely intact, are not a significant risk, as they can still draw water. Older, dead trees are not a risk for establishment.
Chipping or burning are suitable methods of destruction, but if this is not possible, the wood can be sawn, dragged into a pile, and covered with a weighed down tarpaulin with the edges tucked in and weighed down. This will speed up the rotting process, rendering material unsuitable in time.
Any woodland owner, manager or timber processor in the , requires authorisation to remove and transport damaged trees for processing. Please see details below on how to request a movement authorisation inspection, or email ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk for further information.
Eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus)
Overview
The eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) is considered a serious pest on spruce in Europe and has recently been found in the wider environment in England as part of routine plant health surveillance activity.
The beetle is mainly a secondary pest, preferring stressed or weakened trees. However, under the right environmental conditions, beetle numbers can increase enough to result in attacks on healthy trees.
If left uncontrolled, the beetle, in association with pathogenic fungi (particularly the blue stain fungus Endoconidiophora polonica), has the potential to cause significant damage to Britain’s spruce-based forestry and timber industries.
There is no evidence that Ips typographus is spreading in England - the latest establishments are likely to have come directly from the continent and are not related to the original 2018 finding.
Symptoms
Adult beetles are dormant and hibernate over winter under the bark of trees, logs and leaf litter. They then re-emerge in spring, when the temperature rises above 20°C.
The beetle prefers stressed or weakened trees e.g. windblown, damaged and recently felled spruce trees, where, under the right environmental conditions, beetle numbers can increase. Inspection of trees in this category should be a priority.
Also look for standing individual and groups of dead trees. This arises when the beetles ‘mass attack’ trees, overcoming the trees’ usual defences by a combination of large numbers and blue stain fungus carried by adult beetles. Under the right environmental conditions, this phase can lead to extensive tree deaths.
Adult females lay eggs along a linear gallery system from which larval galleries radiate, becoming wider as the larvae grow. The pattern shows in the bark and in the surface of the wood, and is unique to Ips typographus. This symptom should be looked for in any dead trees, whether standing or fallen.
The eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) can often be confused with the great spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus micans). Read the to help with identification.
Reporting sightings
Please remain vigilant for signs of Ips typographus. If you think you have spotted signs of this beetle anywhere in Great Britain then please tell us using our Tree Alert form. You can also submit a tree alert form if your spruce woodland is exhibiting signs of decline or stress, and we may arrange for a follow up inspection.
Report suspected sightings in Northern Ireland using Treecheck, the all-Ireland tree pest reporting tool.
Restrictions and prohibitions in the demarcated area
To protect the country against this pest, under powers conferred by The Official Controls (Plant Health and Genetically Modified Organisms) (England) Regulations 2019, the Forestry Commission introduced a notice to demarcate an area around the confirmed outbreak sites. This is to restrict:
- the planting of spruce trees
- the felling, stacking and movement of spruce material
- the movement and methods of forest operations
came into force on 29 October 2024, taking over from of 12 June 2024.
The demarcated area covers parts of:
- Lincolnshire
- Bedfordshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Hampshire
- Berkshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Hertfordshire
- Surrey
- City and County of the City of London
- Greater London
- East Sussex
- West Sussex
- Kent and Essex
All areas are shown in the and within the , which also contains a description of the boundary.
Notice 7 (2024) includes the following conditions:
(i) Restrictions on the felling of susceptible material without prior notification. Landowners must provide notice of their intention to fell relevant material at least 14 days in advance of any felling in the demarcated areas. Felling may only commence once written authorisation is provided the Forestry Commission.
(ii) Restrictions on the killing of trees (either by ring-barking, chemical injection or application, mechanical means, biological control or arboricultural intervention) of the genus Picea A. Dietr over 3 meters in height, without prior notification. All operations must be agreed in writing by the Forestry Commission.
(iii) Prohibition on susceptible material being left in situ, unless authorised in writing by a plant health inspector.
(iv) Prohibition on the movement of spruce (Picea A. Dietr) material with bark (for example, wood with bark, isolated bark, live trees over 3 metres) that has originated within the demarcated area.
(v) Prohibition on planting spruce (Picea A. Dietr) within the demarcated area, unless exempt as detailed within the notice, or authorised by either the Forestry Commission or the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This prohibition applies to any trees grown in the ground or within planting containers.
Planting of spruce
Within the demarcated area there is a prohibition in place on the planting of spruce trees, as introduced in . This applies to all landowners, land managers and professional operators.
Exemptions are in place for planting dwarf varieties of spruce and planting spruce for:
- ornamental or scientific purposes
- trade at nursery sites
- the Christmas tree trade
See the quick guide on exemptions on planting spruce trees in the DMA.
Authorisations for planting of spruce within the demarcated area, outside of those situations already exempt within the Notice 7 (2024), will be granted on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to conditions set out by the Forestry Commission. Contact the Forestry Commission to check eligibility for authorisations before applying.
Read more on the exemptions and how to apply for an authorisation to plant spruce trees within the Ips typographus demarcated area.
Felling of spruce, and movement of timber
Within the demarcated area there are restrictions in place on the felling of spruce trees, the movement of spruce timber and spruce stacking.
Watch this video guidance on the movement restrictions of spruce trees.
Provision is made to enable plant health inspectors to authorise movements and processing of spruce material with bark from the demarcated area where this can be achieved without risking the spread of Ips typographus.
For authorisation to commence felling, or to dispatch timber from a harvesting site, within the demarcated area please contact ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk.
Non-spruce conifer timber that is bark-free is not subject to the same movement restrictions, so it can be moved and processed without need for inspection or authorisation.
Plant passports must not be used when moving spruce material with bark that originates in the area demarcated for Ips typographus. All other non-spruce conifer species with bark originating in the area demarcated for Ips typographus must be moved with a plant passport.
Read more about when you need plant passports.
Christmas tree trading
If you trade in Christmas trees, this applies to you.
Spruce Christmas trees under 3m in height are considered low risk to Ips typographus infestation as they are usually small healthy trees. Ips typographus prefers to infest dying and stressed spruce trees larger than 3m in height.
For spruce Christmas trees that are 3m in height or more, precautions are in place in the Ips typographus demarcated area in South East England and East Anglia.
Felling and moving spruce Christmas trees grown within the Ips typographus demarcated area
Felling and movement of spruce Christmas trees that are 3m in height or more originating from the Ips typographus demarcated area must be authorised by the Forestry Commission. The Ips typographus demarcated area was expanded in June 2024. You should check the latest map.
Spruce Christmas trees that are 3m in height or more will be assessed and may be subject to inspection before harvest and dispatch, and their movement must adhere to conditions set out in the Forestry Commission authorisation letter.
To arrange an inspection, email us with a minimum of 7 days’ notice before harvesting: ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk.
This only applies to spruce Christmas trees over 3m high originating from the Ips typographus demarcated area.
Moving Christmas trees grown outside of the Ips typographus demarcated area
Outside the Ips typographus demarcated area, you must use a plant passport if you want to move Christmas trees that are 3m in height or more within Great Britain. This relates to spruce and non-spruce varieties and includes foliage taken from conifer trees over 3m high.
Find out more on the plant passporting guidance page.
Stacking timber
All landowners or managers felling spruce in the Ips typographus demarcated area, and looking to stack timber in situ to season (dry out), must follow the authorisation process.
Authorisation is needed before adopting any approach of timber stacking.
You can apply for authorisation to stack timber in the Ips typographus demarcated area.
Processing timber
Processing of spruce material that originated in the demarcated area must only take place at premises authorised by the Forestry Commission to receive this material.
Authorisations to process spruce material can be requested with the forms:
You can apply for authorisation to plant, fell, stack, transport or process trees within the Ips typographus demarcated area.
Export guidelines
Guidance on exporting wood and wood products to the EU (and rest of the world) can be found on: Export wood, wood products and bark from Great Britain.
No phytosanitary export certificate is required for exporting to countries in the EU that don’t have a pest free areas status for Ips typographus.
Any movement of spruce from within the Demarcated Area to a point of export must still to be authorised by the Forestry Commission, and any point of despatch would also require authorisation by the Forestry Commission as a place to receive and process material.
For authorisations, contact ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk.
Restocking guidelines
We encourage landowners to remove susceptible spruce (stressed, windblown) from the Ips typographus demarcated area within the South East and replant with other species.
Funding is available through the Tree Health Pilot for landowners to fell and restock woodlands in the Ips typographus demarcated area.
Guidance is available on restocking woodlands following the removal of spruce trees within the Ips typographus demarcated area. This includes what is permissible under both legal requirements and in grant funded situations when spruce trees are felled under Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) and in proactively felled high-risk areas.
The guidance also includes a breakdown of requirements across different sites including:
- Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS)
- designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
- Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
- Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
- and other protected landscapes, for example national parks
Read the Ips typographus: restocking guidance.
Guidance for alternative species to planting spruce
The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) expects any species to protect and enhance the features of a site. Tree species need to reflect the soils and climate of the site. Use of an inappropriate native species could do more harm than a non-native, that was well suited to the ecology of a site.
Landowners should consider which tree species are most resilient to any pests and diseases that may be prevalent in the area, and resilient to the impacts of climate change, including drought and windblow. You can get advice from your local Woodland Officer or professional forester. We recommend you use the Ecological Site Classification decision support tool to help choose species locally.
Choosing the right species
The soil where spruce has been planted will be good for a wide range of other tree species. It is essential that a soil survey is conducted to ‘ground-truth’ a site, and that current and future climate is considered.
Good ‘spruce sites’ in the South East are potentially suited to:
- pedunculate oak
- Douglas fir
- many pines
Alkaline soils would suit:
- hornbeam
- Norway maple
- sycamore
- Italian alder
- Atlas cedar
Moister soils would suit:
- most firs
- common alder
- aspen
- coast and giant redwood
If land managers continue growing non-native species on Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), then crops that cast a lighter shade are strongly encouraged. For example moving from spruce to pine, which generally have more open canopies. Dense regeneration of freely regenerating conifers that cast a heavy shade, such as western hemlock, should be prevented or controlled to avoid threatening ancient woodland components if they are currently present.
Forest Research has several tools to help advise you on restocking:
- Ecological Site Classification (ESC)
- Tree species database
- Climate matching tool
- Forest development types
- Climate Change Hub
Tree Health Pilot scheme
Landowners and managers in the may qualify for support to fell and restock woodlands under the Tree Health Pilot scheme.
Read the Tree Health Pilot case studies for the proactive management of spruce within the Ips typographus demarcated area, supported by the Tree Health Pilot.
See the within the Ips typographus demarcated area, which is eligible for Tree Health Pilot funding.
Contingency plan
The eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) – contingency plan is under review. Visit the plant health portal contingency plans for more information.
Further information
You can find more detailed information about this pest on the Forest Research website.
Sign up for Forestry Commission eAlerts to get the latest news on tree pests and diseases, and information on grants and funding.
Latest resources
A video is available explaining the threat of Ips typographus on spruce trees in the UK, with advice on how woodland owners can help reduce the risk from this pest:
Catch up on maps, guides, and resources for Ips typographus:
- Guide to restocking your woodlands (Ips typographus)
- infographic explaining the spruce planting prohibition for different industry groups
- List of authorised processors for Ips typographus
- in consultation with stakeholders, a helpful visual guide has been produced explaining the movement restrictions of spruce trees and spruce material originating within the demarcated area
- read our case study to see how Tree Health Pilot grants could help: Tree Health Pilot Case Studies for the proactive management of spruce within the Ips typographus demarcated area
- see the for eligibility to the Tree Health Pilot for proactive removal of spruce
- find out how we have been managing Ips typographus since 2018 in our ‘Behind the Scenes’ blog
- find out about the ongoing studies on this pest and the susceptibility of spruce trees in our science blog
- you can also find updated information on the Forest Research pest and diseases resources page
Read our latest press release new restrictions to limit impact of Ips typographus tree pest.
Updates to this page
Published 1 February 2018Last updated 21 November 2024 + show all updates
-
Updated the section on Christmas tree trading.
-
Added updated maps for confirmed outbreak sites (25km grid summary) and confirmed outbreak sites (10km grid summary).
-
Content updated to reflect Notice 7 (2024) coming into force, added a new section on alternative species, a link to the new webpage on growing spruce trees and a link to the latest press release.
-
Updated Ips typographus outbreak maps: 10km grid summary and 25km grid summary.
-
Updated to add two outbreak maps: 25km grid for full DMA, and 10km grid for the south-east. Added notice on Ips typographus finding on Stika spruce species in UK.
-
Added link to the latest news item 'New action to protect against impacts of bark beetle tree pest'.
-
Added new latest news item, a new Notice (2024), and new area maps, including Proactive Spruce Removal Map.
-
Added latest news about ips typographus finding.
-
Added the latest news item 'timber stacking authorisation'. Removed words 'larger' and 'European' when referring to 'Eight-toothed spruce bark beetle'.
-
Replaced the 'Outbreak sites summary map' with the most up to date map.
-
Added an updated version of the Ips typographus outbreak map.
-
Added information and links to the new Guide to restocking your woodlands (Ips typographus) webpage. Removed guidance around Christmas trees.
-
Information added on spruce Christmas trees including moving spruce Christmas trees grown within the demarcated area and outside of the demarcated area.
-
New outbreak summary map added.
-
Link to new case study added.
-
Update to the 10km grid summary map.
-
Addition of an Outbreak sites summary map.
-
Update to the attachement: Ips typographus guide for landowners and managers.
-
Added information: impact on Spruce Christmas Trees
-
New section added: 'Export Guidelines'
-
Updated: revised Notice which comes into force on the 20 July 2022 taking over from the Notice of the 22 December 2021; also updated - the IPS demarcated area map.
-
Update to guidance for what to do during warmer weather.
-
List of authorised processors added to page
-
Advice added for dealing with storm damage
-
Ips typographus guide for landowners and managers added to the page
-
Page updated to reflect that there is no evidence that Ips typographus is spreading in England
-
Updated guidance on processing (or utilisation as biomass) of spruce material which has originated in the demarcated area
-
New Notice issued which comes into effect on 22 December 2021.
-
Notice and Demarcated Area updated.
-
Updated information for Christmas tree sellers.
-
Information about the Tree Health Pilot added.
-
Documents updated: "application to receive and process spruce" and "authorisation to process spruce".
-
Updated order for the 20 July 2021.
-
The Ips typographus Q&A has been updated.
-
Details of how to report suspected sightings of the larger eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) in Northern Ireland have been added to this page.
-
Attached new application and authorisation forms
-
A revised Notice of the Order has been added to this page.
-
Page updates and addition of an identification guide.
-
Additional information including field symptoms guide.
-
First published.