Orthotomicus suturalis (Gyll.)From: Kolk A., Starzyk J. R., 1996: The Atlas of Forest Insect Pests Occurrence: The central and northern Europe extending far behind the polar circle, Siberia and Mongolia. Host plants: Mainly the Scots pine, also the Norway spruce and other conifers. Morphology: Adults are 2.3-3.6 mm long, brown, shiny. There are 3 clear teeth and 2 smaller between 2nd and 3rd clear ones on elytral declivity. Females have less clear teeth. A distance between two upper teeth is much larger than between the upper and the second one. Biology: This species has two generations per year and one sister generation. Adults of the fist generation initiate flying in May, and those of the second generation - in late-July - late-August. Females construct star-shaped with 3 to 7 galleries of 5 cm in length and 1.5 mm in width within the inner bark and outer sapwood. Galleries of other species are often used. Pupal chambers are constructed in the sapwood or bark. Biology is quite similar to that of O. laricis Damage: It infests mainly stored trees with the thin bark, but also branches of standing trees, trees damaged by fire, dying and dead trees, particularly from the side exposed to sunshine. This species usually occurs in 10-80 year old stands. Preventive measures and control: Similar O. laricis. |


