Attack strategy and development of Dendroctonus micans (Kug.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on oriental spruce in Turkey

The beetle was found in 95.8% of the plots, attacked 21.7% of the spruce trees, and was active in 11.1% of the attacked trees. The majority of the attacked trees had only one successful attack. 69.3% of the entry holes, were up to 1m, and 30.7% of them were between 1 and 2 m. The attack rate was limited in many trees but it was rather high (40 to 160 attacks on a tree) in certain trees. Females laid 51.4 eggs on average with maximum of 200. 3.7% larval and 4% young adult galleries were coalesced. 24.3% attempts of D. micans was aborted and 75.7% of them was successful. Numbers of wounded and unwounded infested trees indicated a significant statistical difference. D. micans attacked and established more often on wounded trees. 83% of the wounded trees, were attacked by D. micans.