Bark and ambrosia beetles associated with cork oak trees in Tunisian forests

Abstract: An inventory of the bark and wood-boring beetles associated with the cork oak trees
in Northern Tunisia was performed in two stands (Ain Drahem and Homran). One symptomatic tree from each stand was randomly selected, cut and sectioned. The logs were carried to the laboratory and covered with fabric tissue. Emerging insects were identified by morphological characters. A bio-ecological overview of those species is reported and discussed. The main findings of the present study revealed the presence of species belonging to the following families: Coccinellidae, Colydiidae (Colydium elongatum), Laemophloeidae (Laemophloeus sp.), Nitidulidae, Platypodidae (Platypus cylindrus), Scolytinae (Xyleborus monographus and Xyleborinus saxesenii), Staphylinidae and Tenebrionidae (Corticeus sp.). Results are a preliminary inventory of entomofaune associated with cork oak trees in Tunisia. Further investigations are needed to understand insects’ interactions with host plant and their role in tree decline.