2023 above-average so far: Temperature impact on pests

The winter so far has been very mild on average. But what impact does this have on pests and insects?

Mild conditions are supposedly ideal for pests to cause massive damage in forestry in summer. However the above-average temperatures do not necessarily lead to a plague of pests in summer.

Spring weather is usually more important, but the earlier in the year temperatures above 16C are reached, the earlier pests such as the bark beetle swarm out and infest new trees.

Back in January temperatures reached these values in Scotland, and just recently in February they reached similar thresholds in Wales too.

Many insects are temperature controlled. Long periods of mild and dry weather lead to an earlier awakening phase for the pests.

Bark beetles, for example, are particularly cold-resistant and survive the lowest frost temperatures. They can also hibernate down to -10C and seek shelter under the bark as larvae, or in the soil as beetles.

Global warming poses new challenges for forestry. Due to the mild weather, the period in which the bark beetle can develop is extended.

In addition, their reproduction is faster, which is why more bark beetles can be formed. Climate change therefore also has a lasting effect on the ecosystem.