Study of bark beetle (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) pathogens from coniferous stands in Bulgaria

Abstract

The pathogen species composition and distribution in a variety of bark beetle species from different coniferous stands was investigated. Seven pathogen species were recovered: I. typographus Entomopoxvirus (ItEPV), Malamoeba scolyti, Gregarina typographi, Menzbieria chalcographi, Chytridiopsis typographi, Nosema-like microsporidium and Beauveria bassiana. Nosema-like microsporidium, M. chalcographi and M. scolyti are new reports for the Bulgarian fauna. I. sexdentatus, Pityophthorus pityographus, Cry-phalus saltuarius, Orthotomicus proximus and Polygraphns subopacus are newly reported hosts for B. bassiana, M. scolyti, Chytridiopsis cf. typographi and Gregarina cf. typographi respectively. G. typographi appears to have the broadest host range the beetles we examined, followed by C. typographi, M. chalcographi. M. scolyti and Nosema-like microsporidium appear to have narrower host ranges.