Database

Make a herbaceous trap for trees

Habitat	Function	Type of work
Forest	High-quality timber	Bark beetle control

Biological techniques and tools should be preferred to prevent forest damage and to control its spread. The use of non-biological plant protection products on forest land is only allowed in justified cases.

Description of the action

The best way to repair bark beetle damage on spruce is to use trap trees. In spring-winter, cut down fir saplings near the bark of the wormwood. Leave the saplings in contact with the ground (retains moisture). Remove the trees from the forest, including the roadside, by early June at the latest.

Why?

The most effective way to reduce the abundance of wormwood is to use trap trees. Spruce bark beetles prefer to colonise trap trees as growing trees, as trap trees emit odours that are suitable for spruce bark beetles. The timely removal of trap trees from the forest to a sawmill or timber terminal also removes the larvae and young beetles of the spruce bark beetle from the forest, and their abundance in the forest is reduced. It is very important to remove the saplings in good time so that the beetles cannot emerge from the bark. The efficiency of the trees is further increased by attaching pheromone dispensers, a scented substance used to attract bark beetles.

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