In Slovenia the presence of the non-native Black timber bark beetle (Xylosandrus germanus) was first recorded in the vicinity of Nova Gorica yet in the period between 2008 and 2010 the species was already detected on several locations in the vicinity of Ljubljana. The main aim of the current BSc thesis was to confirm the presence and determine the actual population density of X. germanus in Šentvid forest district (Škofljica regional unit). Population monitoring was conducted via the trapping system incorporating disposable plastic bottles which were designed by the author of the thesis. Four traps were deployed in each of the three selected forest stands where the targeted populations were lured by various attractants (ethanol, denatured ethanol, a blend of ethanol and α-pinene, un-baited control traps). The traps, which were monitored within the period of eight weeks, i.e. between 26th April 2017 and 20th June 2017, were emptied on a weekly basis, and the catch was subsequently determined in the Laboratory for Forest Protection at the Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources BF. The analysis confirmed the presence of the non-native X. germanus beetle within the targeted sites. A total of 11,460 X. germanus individuals were collected, which comprised 90,09 % of all the captured beetles (Coleoptera) specimens, or 95,30 % of all captured bark beetle specimens. No significant differences were established in the attractiveness rates among the employed attractant agents. The large number of collected X. germanus specimens undoubtedly confirms that home-made traps from disposable plastic bottles represent a suitable monitoring tool for the non-native bark beetle population.
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