Insect pests in the forests of Bulgaria and their economic importance

Abstract

Based on the forest-pathological inventories for the last 30 years, the economic importance of the insect pests in the Bulgarian forests and its dynamics for the periods 1990–2002 and 2003–2018 were determined. Insect pest attacks have declined sharply in the last sixteen years- in coniferous forests they have decreased three times and in deciduous ones - almost six times. Generally, the health status of the forests, with regard to pest status, after 2003 is improving, and this is more clearly expressed in the deciduous forests. As a result of this development, the pest control measures areas gradually shifted from deciduous to coniferous forests. Since 2003, deterioration in the health status of ageing coniferous plantations has been identified, however, with the attacks of two major groups of pests escalating- pine sawflies and bark beetles.