Bark beetles can destroy spruce forests by converting the trees' defences into even more toxic substances, scientists ...

Spruce bark beetles don’t just tolerate their host tree’s chemical defenses—they actively reshape them into stronger ...

Spruce bark beetles hijack their host tree’s chemical defenses, transforming them into potent weapons against fungal threats.

Then there is the fungus, Beauveria bassiana. This fungus is neither the tree’s nor the beetle’s friend; as a pathogenic ...

Spruce bark is rich in phenolic compounds that protect trees from pathogenic fungi. A research team at the Max Planck ...

Bark beetles convert spruce tree defenses into more potent antimicrobials to protect themselves, but a fungus can neutralize ...

Learn more about the chemical arms race between a fungus, a tree, and a beetle.

Vast swathes of the country’s trees have been killed off by droughts and infestations, in a trend sweeping across Europe. A shift towards more biodiverse cultivation could offer answers ...

Q: The Norway Spruce trees that border our yard are dying, and they have holes in the bark. Do you know what could be causing this? Is there anything we can do to stop it and save the ones that are ...

Q: I have volunteered to help our church with yard maintenance. I need to trim back all the bushes, but my concern is the blue spruce tree. It is a very nice tree, but it is growing over the parking ...

Spruce bark beetles use the plant defense compounds in spruce bark as a protective mechanism. After feeding, they metabolize ...