In April, the annual monitoring season began. Around 550 bait traps have been set up throughout Bavaria, says project leader Tobias Frühbrodt. Once a certain number of bark beetles is reached, experts search for infested trees to remove them as quickly as possible. A positive trend is noticeable throughout Bavaria, according to Frühbrodt. Bark beetle damage has been significantly declining recently. While there were around 6.3 million cubic meters of damaged timber in the so-called disaster year of 2023, there were about 4.2 million in 2024 and around 1.9 million in 2025. However, there are also regional negative developments. Overall, there is a noticeable shift of the pest from the north and east of the state to the south. In Bavaria, the two bark beetle species Ips typographus and Pityogenes chalcographus are particularly widespread. High spruce stands are a "ticking time bomb" Long-term, the continued conversion of forests into mixed forests is important, says Frühbrodt. The ...