Coleoptera larvae

Seidel, Matthias, Arriaga-Varela, Emmanuel & Vondráček, Dominik, 2019, Abstracts of the Immature Beetles Meeting 2019 October 3 - 4, Prague, Czech Republic, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 59 (2), pp. 569-582 : 571

Raising Coleoptera larvae to inform decisions on tree health policy

Max BLAKE

Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham , Surrey GU10 4LH, United Kingdom.

Though raising insects in captivity can seem like one of the most fundamental ways to begin to understand their biology, it is sometimes regarded as being overly “basic” and can be undervalued as a study technique by those focussed on more contemporary or fashionable methods. However, rearing insects in captivity allows for detailed observations to be made of the study species, providing vital information on behaviour, growth rates and stages, and allows for straightforward experimental manipulation. As such, experiments or fundamental work on insect biology using captive insects can offer crucial insights into biology, which in term can affect decision making by governmental bodies looking to better understand insect-tree interactions.With globalisation, insects and being transported all over the globe, and whilst many of these new introductions either fail completely or don’t significantly alter the natural environment, certain species can become pests, sometimes having drastic impacts on the landscape. A short overview of some ways rearing insects has impacted governmental policy in the UK will be given, with a focus on ‘problematic’ beetles.