Heinävesi records highest bark beetle count in Finland as risk threshold exceeded nationwide

The Finnish town of Heinävesi has recorded the country’s highest concentration of spruce bark beetles this summer, with monitoring traps capturing 22,680 specimens, according to the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).

The figure far exceeds the national risk threshold of 15,000 beetles. The pest, which targets weakened spruce trees, can kill healthy trees and even entire forests in large numbers.

Luke tracks the beetle’s spread annually using pheromone traps across dozens of locations. Besides Heinävesi, risk thresholds have been surpassed in Ylöjärvi, Hankasalmi, Kouvola, and Hämeenlinna.

Climate change has contributed to the increasing prevalence of the bark beetle in Finland.