Fungal Pathogen Offers New Strategy Against Climate-Driven Bark Beetle Infestations

Researchers identified strains of the fungus Beauveria bassiana capable of killing Eurasian spruce bark beetles, pests that have become more prevalent due to climate change. This discovery suggests a biological control method bypassing the complex chemical defenses beetles accumulate from spruce trees. The findings, published in PNAS, offer an alternative to traditional, often noxious, insecticides.