Forest Beetle Research Articles

Bait preferences of Australian dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in tropical and subtropical Queensland forests

AbstractDung beetles (Scarabaeinae) are mainly coprophagous. Globally, many species co‐exist with large mammalian fauna in grasslands and savannahs. However, tropical and subtropical rainforests, where large herbivorous mammals are scarce, support numerous dung beetle species. Many rainforest dung beetles have been shown to be generalist saprophages or specialists on non‐dung food resources. In Australian rainforests, observations of native dung beetles have indicated that some species are attracted to other resources such as fruit or fungi, although the extent to which this occurs is not known. To learn more about the diet breadth of Australian native rainforest dung beetles, we assessed their attraction to a range of baits, including two types of dung, four types of carrion from both vertebrates and invertebrates, three types of rotting fruit and rotting mushrooms. We primarily surveyed rainforest sites but included two dry open‐forest sites for comparisons. Of the two groups of Australian native dung beetles (Onthophagini and Australian endemic genera), the latter dominated the rainforest dung beetle fauna and were attracted to a greater variety of baits compared with Onthophagini. The Onthophagini were dominant in open forest and were more likely to be attracted to a particular bait type, primarily dung. Our findings suggest that many of the species belonging to the ‘Australian endemic genera' are generalist feeders and their ability to utilise a range of food resources contributes to their abundance and diversity in Australian rainforests.

Modeling the distances traveled by flying insects based on the combination of flight mill and mark-release-recapture experiments

The number of invasive species is increasing throughout the world. One of the corner stones to successfully control them is to better estimate their dispersal capabilities. For flying insects, dispersal performance is commonly estimated through flight mill and mark-release-recapture experiments. However, each approach has its own bias, over- and under-estimating flying distances respectively. The objective of this study was to develop an individual-based dispersal model to circumvent these drawbacks. The shape of the dispersal kernel was calibrated on distances recorded in flight mill experiments (previously done) and then model parameters were fine-tuned based on mark-release-recapture experiments (presented in this study). The pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus galloprovincialis, was used as case study because it is the European vector of the invasive pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, recognized as one of the biggest threats to pine forests worldwide. The best fitted model to mark-release-recapture data was parameterized with a mean flying distance of 2000 m per day, which is consistent with flight mill data. It was used to further simulate the dispersal of 100 beetles in non-fragmented pine forests. The cumulative flight distance was 63 km on average at the end of their adult life stage, and the mean dispersal distance as the crow flies was of ca. 13 km. At the end of the maturation period, when most nematodes have been already transmitted to host pines via shoot feeding, about 80% of the insects were located at more than 500 m from the emergence point. These outcomes clearly question the relevance of clear-cut zones of 500 m radius required by the European regulation for the eradication of the invasive nematode. Such dispersal model could be used to support decision-making for eradication programs.

Effect of clear-cutting on the understory vegetation, soil and diversity of litter beetles in scots pine-dominated forest

ABSTRACTCurrently, the aim of modern forest management is not only timber production but also the protection of biodiversity. The initial effects of clear-cut logging on forest understory vegetation, soil and the diversity of litter beetles have been studied. We examined unstudied effects of clear-cutting disturbance on understory vascular plant species abundance, forest soils, and understory vegetation nutrients as well as beetle diversity one year after clear-cutting. Substantial changes in the prominence values and above-ground mass of forest-related vascular plant and moss species were detected. Clear-cuttings resulted in fast appearance of new light-loving plant species. The significant decrease in understory plant biomass influenced the reduction of nutrient pools in clear-cut areas after one year. The clear-cut logging negatively influenced the richness of species and the number of individuals of stenobiontic forest-related beetles in the forest litter. However, forest clear-cuttings were beneficial for eurytopic and open land species.

Site- and tree-related factors affecting colonization of cork oaks Quercus suber L. by ambrosia beetles in Tunisia

Ambrosia beetles are emerging globally as important agents of tree death and decline. In this work, we observed highly variable attack intensity by ambrosia beetles in cork oak stands in Tunisia. A correlation between the proportion of infested trees and average temperature was found. Tree diameter and tree phytosanitary variables further contribute to the attack densities of ambrosia beetles. Results can be relevant for preventive measures aiming to conserve this natural forest heritage. Cork oak woodlands comprise a unique Mediterranean ecosystem supporting rich biological diversity and providing multiple services. A decline of cork oak forests has been observed in several regions of the Mediterranean Basin in the last four decades, which can be related to climate change, novel biotic agents, and changes in management practices. The ambrosia beetles have been one of the major biotic agents associated with cork oak decline, mostly in the western Mediterranean. Assess the presence and attack densities of ambrosia beetles in cork oak Tunisian forests. A total of 15 sites located in North Western of Tunisia, comprising 729 sample trees were evaluated. Using generalized linear models, the presence and density of ambrosia beetles’ holes were related to tree and site variables. Variables related to climate, tree (dendrometric parameters, debarking intensity) and biotic agents were examined. The proportion of trees attacked per site varied from 0 to 100%; in four sites, it exceeded 50%. At the site level, the average temperature and tree diameter were the main variables explaining the proportion of attacked trees. Sites with warmer climates showed higher incidence of ambrosia beetles. At the tree level, the presence of attacks increased with tree diameter and concomitantly with intensity of debarking, as well as the presence of tree trunk cavities. The presence and density of insect attacks were related to tree diameter, area of debarking, and phytosanitary conditions. However, 19% of the trees attacked by ambrosia beetles had no signs of other biotic agents or decline. At the site level, attack rates increased with temperature and tree diameter. A warmer climate may change insect behavior from that of a non-aggressive pest to that of an aggressive bark beetle. Adaptive forest management practices are needed to reduce infestations.

Saproxylic beetles in tropical and temperate forests – A standardized comparison of vertical stratification patterns

Forests are complex three-dimensional ecosystems, but little is known about the influence of vertical stratification of forest structure on biodiversity and species turnover. Saproxylic beetles make a substantial contribution to forest biodiversity and ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling. Management measures aimed at supporting saproxylic biodiversity are becoming an integral part of sustainable forest management practices. Yet, monitoring is carried out under the assumption that saproxylic activity at ground level will be a realistic reflection of saproxylic biodiversity in the forest as a whole.To investigate the validity of this assumption we compare vertical stratification and composition of saproxylic beetle assemblages between three forest types of varying altitude and latitude, including a tropical lowland forest in Panama, a temperate lowland forest and a temperate montane forest, both in the eastern Czech Republic. Beetles were sampled following a standardized sampling protocol using flight intercept traps arranged in vertical transects.Overall, the tropical forest was estimated to harbour two to three times more saproxylic beetle species than the temperate lowland and the montane forest, respectively. However, point richness estimates within vertical strata were remarkably similar between biomes. Species richness was similar in the understorey of all three forests. It peaked in the canopy of the tropical forest but in the understorey of temperate forests. So, while the beetle assemblages were clearly vertically stratified in all three forest types, stratification patterns varied markedly between tropical and temperate forests. This trend is driven primarily by the high richness of saproxylic beetles in the tropical forest canopy. However these richness differences belie the strong similarities in stratification of feeding guild composition observed all three forest types. This would tend to suggest that similar trophic structuring forces might operate across very different forest biomes of the world.Similarities in feeding guild composition suggest that management measures aiming at conserving biodiversity of saproxylic beetles are likely to be effective across different forest types. The differences in vertical stratification, however, suggest that understorey monitoring alone will be insufficient to understand management effects on saproxylic biodiversity. In the tropics, in particular, more emphasis will need to be placed on managing the diverse, three-dimensional structure of forest canopies as habitat for saproxylic beetles.

Occurrence of pathogens and nematodes in forest beetles from Curculionidae and Attelabidae in Bulgaria

Beetles from Curculionidae and Attelabidae collected from 14 localities (mainly in coniferous stands) in Bulgaria were investigated for the presence of pathogens and nematodes. A microsporidium belonging to genus Nosema in the fat body of Pityogenes chalcographus (prevalence: 0.9%) and the fungus Beauveria bassiana in the oak-leaf roller Attelabus nitens (prevalence: 62%) were detected for the first time. Morphological data and characteristics of Nosema sp. spores and conidia of B. bassiana are presented. Nematode species (Cryptaphelenchus diversispicularis, Parasitorhabditis subelongati and Parasitylenchus dispar), and specimens belonging to other ten nematode genera were found (Bovianema, Bursaphelenchus, Cryptaphelenchus, Neoparasitylenchus, Parasitylenchus, Parasitaphelenchus, Panagrolaimus, Parasitorhabditis, Prothallonema and Sulphuretylenchus). Their prevalences varied from 17.4% to 90%. Nine of the host beetles (Dryocoetes autographus, Ips sexdentatus, I. acuminatus, Orthotomicus laricis, O. erosus, Pityogenes quadridens, P. conjunctus, Hylurgus ligniperda and Taphrorychus villifrons) are reported as vectors of Bursaphelenchus sp.

Comparing fossil and extant beetles in central North Island forests, New Zealand

ABSTRACTRestoration efforts around New Zealand provide safe havens for native species that have been seriously compromised since the arrival of people and introduced mammals approximately 750 yrs ago. Maungatautari in the Waikato is currently the largest area of almost (except for mice) mammal-free estate on the New Zealand mainland. We examined attributes, such as beetle size variation, dispersal ability and trophic structure, of the beetle community at Maungatautari and compared it with the fossil beetle assemblage from two central North Island sites where forest was preserved under up to 2 m of tephra and volcanic ash from the Taupo eruption (232 ± 5 AD (1718 ± 5 cal. yr BP)) prior to the introduction of mammals. A total of 334 fossil, and 206 extant, beetle species were found. No difference was observed between the trophic composition and dispersal ability of taxa within the beetle communities sampled from pre-mammal ecosystem compared with Maungatautari. Greater numbers of large species were found at Maungatautari compared to the two fossil sites. However, this disguised the loss of several large flightless ground-dwelling weevil species that were found as fossils but are now considered extinct. Surprisingly, only 1.2% of the fossil beetle species identified are now thought to be extinct. The fossil beetle assemblages from the central North Island are invaluable datasets that describe the pre-mammal beetle fauna and provide an important benchmark for assessing restoration outcomes in New Zealand forest ecosystems.

Effects of pitfall trap size and sampling duration on collection of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in temperate forests

AbstractPitfall trapping is a standard sampling method to compare the abundance or community structure of ground beetles. However, effects of sampling duration on biodiversity estimation of ground beetles according to different trap sizes have not been experimentally evaluated in temperate forests in Korea. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the interaction between trap sizes (SB, small‐sized bottle; MB, medium‐sized bottle; PC, plastic cup; PJ, plastic jar; PT, perforated type trap; FT, funnel‐type trap) and sampling duration (T1, 2 weeks × 2 sessions, 28 days; T2, 2 weeks × 4 sessions, 56 days; T3, 4 weeks × 2 sessions, 56 days) on estimation of ground beetle assemblages in Naejangsan National Park, a temperate forest in Korea. Funnel type and larger pitfall traps collected higher numbers of individuals and species than other trap sizes. Species composition of ground beetles was different by size of traps (SB, MB, and PC vs. PJ, PT, and FT). In particular, ground beetle composition in larger traps (PJ, PT, and FT) appeared to be influenced by environmental characteristics according to localities (e.g., soil characters and dominant tree species). These findings from our study support that pitfall trapping of ground beetles can be influenced by trap sizes per se as well as sampling durations and environmental characteristics. Thus, biodiversity monitoring in temperate forests should be conducted with long sampling duration (at least 28 days) using large‐sized traps (> 7.5 cm in diameter of trap mouthpart) considering expenses and study aims.

Resilience to disturbance is a cross‐scale phenomenon offering a solution to the disturbance paradox

AbstractResilience is the ability of an ecosystem to return to a previous state following disturbance. Ecological communities may demonstrate resilience after long periods of time. However, short‐term outcomes of disturbance may be reduced functionality despite an increase in biodiversity, a phenomenon known as the disturbance paradox. Silvicultural management regimes are ecological disturbances that vary with the frequency of tree harvests, the age of the tree when harvested, spatial arrangement of harvest, and the area of forest removed. Therefore, they are expected to result in different levels of resilience among forest communities over time. We used the response of temperate hardwood forest beetle communities to different timber harvest treatments in a long‐term research study to test predictions of ecosystem resilience. We also aimed to determine whether this system shows evidence of the disturbance paradox. We predicted that (1) communities following harvest differ from pre‐harvest communities, (2) areas treated with even‐aged management and uneven‐aged management would show community trajectories back to pre‐harvest communities, (3) the more concentrated disturbance of the even‐aged management would lead to a lower community resilience, and (4) community change would be attributed to an increase in pest species using recently harvested wood. The communities did change after timber harvests, but while the dissimilarity between pre‐ and post‐treatment communities was the same for the two treatments, the departure and return to the pre‐harvest community state were along different community trajectories. Furthermore, communities in both treatments showed similar resilience by returning to pre‐harvest community composition at the same rate. As predicted, the abundance of species most responsible for post‐harvest community shifts were those that feed on living wood. This, along with a decrease in abundance of decaying wood decomposers, indicated that the disturbance paradox was playing out in this system.

Livestock areas with canopy cover sustain dung beetle diversity in the humid subtropical Chaco forest

Abstract We assessed differences in the alpha and beta diversity of dung beetles in native forest and two livestock systems (with and without canopy cover) typical of the Argentine Chaco region and related the dung beetle assemblages to environmental conditions. Dung beetles were sampled in native forest and two livestock systems in the spring (2015–2016), in two areas of the humid Chaco region in northern Argentina. In each area, five sampling sites were selected for each habitat type, and ten pitfall traps were baited with human faeces and carrion and placed at each site. The livestock systems with canopy cover preserved the environmental conditions from the native forest (temperature and vegetation structure) and the richness and composition of the native forest dung beetle community in the two areas studied, whereas the open pastures exhibited higher ground temperature, simplified vegetation structure and lower dung beetle richness and similarity in species composition in relation to the native forest. In livestock systems of the humid Chaco, the canopy cover is the main determinant of dung beetle communities through the maintenance of temperature and humidity. In the light of these results, livestock production in silvopastoral systems preserving canopy cover can be an alternative compatible with conservation of the dung beetle diversity of native forests. Considering the central role of dung beetles in maintaining soil structure and fertility (through the relocation of cow dung), silvopastoral systems will probably maintain the productivity compared to open pastures.

Does dead wood volume affect saproxylic beetles in montane beech-fir forests of Central Europe?

As most European forests are commercially managed for wood production, excluding the disintegration phase of the forest development cycle, a serious decline of numerous species has been observed. The intensity of forest management is critical for biodiversity conservation, especially in regard to saproxylic organisms, as it reduces the abundance of old trees and dead wood. We studied saproxylic beetles in 12 montane beech-fir stands in a Central European mountain range. We used 72 flight interception traps exposed for two vegetation seasons (2012 and 2013) placed at sites characterized by three levels of dead wood volume. In total, 7990 individuals of 287 species belonging to 41 families were collected. Species richness and abundance of both non-threatened and threatened species showed no significant differences among the three studied forest stand categories. Nevertheless, the presence of both non-threatened and threatened species in the studied forest stands was affected by several environmental variables. Large diameter dead wood, dead wood in the last decay stage and dead beech wood close to the traps significantly affected the assemblage of threatened beetles. Canopy openness, thin dead wood in the wider trap surroundings and dead wood in the second and third decay stage in the closer trap surroundings affected the assemblage of non-threatened species.

Post-fire fauna of carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in forests of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (Russia)

Post-fire fauna of carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in forests of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (Russia)

Bark Beetles of Balikesir Region in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine species of bark beetles in the coniferous forests of Bahkesir. Five pheromone and two log traps were established in six plots and set 40 meters apart for each site. At the conclusion of the study, 15 species belonging to 4 tribes Hylastini, Ipini, Pholeosinini and Tomicini of Scolytinae were identified as follows: Hylastes angustatus, H. linearis, Ips sexdentatus, Orthotomicus erosus, O. longicollis, Pityogenes bistridentatus, P. pennidens, Pityokteines curvidens, P. vorontzowi, Phloeosinus aubei, Hylurgus ligniperda, H. micklitzi, Tomicus destruens, T. minor and T. piniperda.

Early summer aspect of the population of ground–dwelling spiders (aranei), harvestmen (opiliones) and ground beetles (coleoptera, carabidae) in pinus sibirica forests of Shorsky national park

The early summer structure of the communities of ground-dwelling spiders, harvestmen and carabids in Pinus sibirica forests of the Shorsky National Park has been studied for five years. The community was found to consist of 39 spider, 5 harvestman and 12 carabid species. Among spiders,small-sized litter-dwelling web-producing spiders (Linyphiidae) predominated, accounting for over 70 % of collected specimens. The community of wolfspiders (Lycosidae) was small and taxonomically poor, their dynamic density in the study area being rather low and unstable. Although spider species outnumbered the other studied groups, their population was generally scant and unstable. The composition of spider dominants varied among years, their dynamic densities and shares were unstable even in regularly collected species. Pairwise comparisons of the early summer structure of spider communities in different years did not always show statistically significant differences. Early summer communities of harvestmen in Pinus sibirica forests were predominated by juveniles of Mitopus morio (Fabricius, 1779), with first emergences of newly hatched Oligolophus tridens nymphs (C. L. Koch, 1836). The most abundant among eurychronic species was Sabacon sergeidedicatum Martens, 1989. In the early summer beetle community, the family Carabidae was the dominant group of ground-dwelling arthropods. The dominants complex was stable, and included Carabus aeruginosus Fischer von Waldheim, 1822, Pterostichus monticoloides Shilenkov, 1995, P. oblongopunctatus (Fabricius, 1787), and P. virescens (Gebler, 1833). Their population structure did not vary significantly among years. The Sorensen similarity indexes for the species composition of carabid communities in among-year pairwise comparisons were oftener higher than those for spiders.

Persistence of genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure of three New Zealand forest beetles under climate change

AbstractAimContemporary climate change is predicted to impact all levels of biodiversity, including intraspecific genetic diversity, the evolutionary basis for future adaptation. While numerous studies use species distribution models (SDMs) to predict species’ future distributions, relatively few investigate potential climatic impacts on the spatial structure of genetic diversity, and how it varies across species ranges. We revisited phylogeographic data for three New Zealand forest beetles to predict the effects of climate change on the geographic distributions, genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure for each species.LocationNew ZealandMethodsWe used ensemble SDMs to predict potential distributions for Agyrtodes labralis (Leiodidae), Brachynopus scutellaris (Staphylinidae) and Epistranus lawsoni (Zopheridae) in 2035, 2065 and 2100. To assess the impact of predicted range loss on genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure, we estimated haplotype and nucleotide diversity, ΦST, Average Taxonomic Distinctness (AvTax), Phylogenetic Diversity (PD) and Net Relatedness Index (NRI) under current and future climatic scenarios, excluding sequences from localities predicted to become unsuitable. We tested whether predicted population loss was spatially clustered and how losses were distributed across the phylogenies of each species.ResultsAgyrtodes labralis is predicted to lose parts of its current distribution by 2100, with the loss of 50% of unique haplotypes and a significant reduction in PD, while Brachynopus scutellaris and Epistranus lawsoni will likely experience an expansion in climatically suitable area and little change in genetic diversity. Brachynopus scutellaris populations are predicted to be more phylogenetically clustered than expected by 2100, but changes in AvTax were negligible for all species.Main conclusionsWe demonstrate that the loss of genetic diversity under climate change is significant; however, intraspecific lineages with deep genetic divergences are widely distributed, buffering against greater change in phylogeographic structure. For species with strong geographic clustering of genetic diversity, climate change impacts may be quite different.

Beetles in bamboo forests: community structure in a heterogeneous landscape of southwestern Amazonia.

Amazonian bamboo forests dominated by large woody bamboo plants in the genus Guadua cover approximately 180,000 km2 and represent a key resource for many organisms. In southwestern Amazonia, native bamboo forests differ in structure, biodiversity, and growth dynamics from other forest types in the region. However, with the exception of a few species in which habitat specialization or a strong habitat association has been demonstrated, little is known about how bamboo forests influence animal community structure. In an effort to understand more about the animal assemblages associated with Amazonian bamboo forests, we characterized the structure of ground-dwelling beetle assemblages living in bamboo forests and adjacent terra firme forests in a lowland rainforest site in Peru. We conducted intensive pitfall trap surveys in 13 bamboo habitat patches and 13 adjacent terra firme habitat patches to determine if there were differences in the abundance and richness of beetle species in these two habitat types. Additionally, given that southwestern Amazonia experiences distinct dry and wet seasons, we conducted our study during the dry and wet season of one year to account for differences in seasonality. We found a distinct beetle assemblage associated with each forest type, and identified a set of dominant species that significantly contributed to the distinctness in beetle community structure between bamboo and terra firme forest. The terra firme forest had a greater number of rare species than the bamboo forest. Several beetle species exhibited a strong association with the bamboo forest, including a large species of Scarabaeidae that appears to be specializing on bamboo. We also found marked differences in beetle assemblages between dry and wet seasons. Our results support the prediction that beetle community structure in bamboo forest differs from that of terra firme in terms of species richness, abundance, and composition. Bamboo-associated animal communities require more exploration and study, and must be included in regional conservation plans seeking to protect entire animal communities in southwestern Amazonia.

Review of Saproxylic Beetles in Tugai Forests of Kazakhstan

AbstractIn the review, the data about the saproxylic beetles in the tugai forests of Kazakhstan is described. The main tree and shrub species related to saproxylic beetles are reported and the beetle species diversity is presented in a table. Of the species listed in the table, 36 species of saproxylic beetles are related toPopulussp. (Populus diversifoliaandP. pruinosa), 21 species toElaeagnus angustifolia, 20 species toTamarixsp., and 17 species toSalixsp. The least number of saproxylic beetles was related toFraxinus sogdiana(2 species) andHalimodendron halodendron(3 species). The author detected data about the representatives of the following families of Coleoptera: Brentidae, Bostrichidae, Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, and Curculionidae on the territory of tugai forests and the arid zone of Kazakhstan. According to the used references, the most numbered family of saproxylic beetles in the tugai forests is Buprestidae: 41 species have been known. The author found out data about 17 species of Curculionidae and 10 species of Cerambycidae. Other families have a lower number of species. It means that Buprestidae is the most studied family in the tugai forests of Kazakhstan. Further research is necessary to extend knowledge about the diversity of saproxylic beetles in the tugai forests of Kazakhstan.

A new species of Derobrachus Audinet-Serville, 1832 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae) from a cloud forest in Honduras

A yearly biodiversity monitoring of longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae) in a Honduran cloud forest revealed a new species of prionine. Derobrachus cusucoensis sp. nov. is a locally relatively common species described from Cusuco National Park in Honduras, becoming the ninth species of this genus recorded for the country. Similar both in morphology and a montane habitat to D. dohrni, there is a possibility that this new species represents a disconnected population from the latter that evolved separately. An adapted insert for an existing identification key to all Derobrachus species is included.

Red deer (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758) increasing density effects on species assemblage of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Alpine forests

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) increasing density may trigger several modifications at the ecosystem level. Positive and negative impact of red deer on the invertebrate fauna is known in northern Europe, whereas it is currently unknown in the Alps. In this paper, we tested the impact of red deer density on ground beetles’ (Coleoptera: Carabidae) richness and species distribution in forests of the central-eastern Italian Alps (Stelvio National Park). Carabid beetles were sampled using pitfall traps in nine forest sites with different density of red deer. Carabid species richness was related to elevation, habitat type and red deer density in summer and winter using generalised linear mixed models and canonical correspondence analysis. The high winter red deer density affected positively the carabid species richness. Overgrazing seemed to increase presence of generalist species of dried and unshaded soils and decreasing of specialised species typical of well-preserved Rhododendro-Vaccinietum cover. Accordingly, the presence of patches with different red deer density seems to contribute to maintaining high levels of carabid beetles’ richness, albeit overgrazing needs to be monitored because it is likely to cause a local decrease of specialised forest species.

Vertical stratification of scolytine beetles in temperate forests

AbstractAlthough most studies exploring the vertical distribution of arthropods in forests have been limited to discrete comparisons between understorey and canopy, few have sampled across multiple heights.We studied vertical distribution of scolytine beetle flight activity in temperate lowland broadleaf and montane beech‐fir forests using flight interception traps arranged in vertical transects with traps placed 0.4, 1.2, 7, 14, and 21 m above ground. In each forest type 15 vertical transects (75 traps) were used.The assemblages sampled at 0.4 and 1.2 m above ground (undergrowth) clearly differed from those at 7, 14, and 21 m (midstorey and canopy).Ambrosia‐fungi feeder abundance peaked at 1.2 m in the mountains, whereas in the lowland they were almost evenly distributed from 1.2 to 21 m. Phloem feeders were significantly more abundant in the midstorey and canopy than in the undergrowth.Height preferences of eleven species were identified. Four species were associated with traps exposed at 7, 14, or 21 m, whereas seven species were associated with the height of 1.2 m. No species was associated with the 0.4 m height.To cover entire scolytine assemblages of forest stands, sampling should thus not be restricted to the usually sampled understorey level, but also cover the canopy.