Scientists from the Donetsk Botanical Garden have discovered a new invasive barbel for Europe

A new alien East Asian species of longhorn beetle for Europe was discovered by scientists from the Donetsk Botanical Garden and the Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Azov region. The article, which was reported by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, was published in the scientific journal .

The longhorn beetle Semanotus bifasciatus, before moving to the Azov region, was known only in East Asia, namely in Mongolia and China.

On the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, in Mariupol (DPR), it was discovered in 2024.

The spring-summer period is the period of activity for Semanotus, which lead a twilight lifestyle. They lay eggs in cracks in the bark of thick branches and trunks of coniferous trees. The hatched larvae make winding passages, and later, already in the form of beetles, gnaw out an oval-shaped “flight” hole through which they emerge.

Longhorn beetles reach 7-16 millimeters in length. According to entomologists, in the Azov region they have proven themselves to be dangerous pests of cypress trees (primarily thujas and junipers). In urban conditions, their "occupation" can lead to the death of large, mature trees.

If the habitat of the longhorn beetle expands further, this beetle may become a serious threat to plantings in cities and forests. First of all, the mountain forests of Crimea and the Caucasus, where many coniferous trees grow, will become the objects of their settlement.

Since pest control using chemicals is impossible in urban areas, experts recommend removing and destroying trees at the first sign of longhorn beetle infestation.

Semanotus bistriata is already the third alien pest of cypress trees to have penetrated into the Northern Azov region in recent years.

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