Melanotus proteus: a newly recorded colonist of Sitka spruce stumps in Britain and a potential competitor for Heterobasidion annosum

Abstract

The widespread occurrence in Scotland of M. proteus. which was previously regarded as rare, is reported. It is a common colonist of Sitka spruce stumps which merits consideration as a potential biological control agent against the tree‐root pathogen H. annosum. There is some evidence that it may act as a decay organism in wounded Sitka spruce.