Wildlands investigates tree-boring beetle in tropical greenhouse

Wildlands Adventure Zoo and the Dutch food safety authority are searching for a tree-boring beetle in the zoo’s tropical greenhouse in Emmen, the Netherlands.

The beetle, originally from Asia, was found there two years ago and is listed by the European Union as an invasive species.

It can damage trees and plants by boring into them and spreading harmful fungi, which may kill branches or entire trees.

The beetle is only about three millimetres long and hides inside plants, so teams are checking the greenhouse section by section.

The 16,000-square-metre greenhouse contains far more plants than expected, including 700 trees as well as palms and banana plants.

Once the search shows where the beetles are and how many there may be, the zoo and authority can choose how to control them and plan future planting.

Fieldwork continues until November 13, after which the data will be analysed; the findings may also help other gardens and parks.