Kauri dieback forests have fewer beetles

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-10-21 03:00

New Zealand

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Areas with Kauri dieback in the Waitākere Ranges appear to be losing beetles too, scientists have discovered. They trapped more than 4300 beetles (some of them mid-flight), finding that the areas with dieback had a third fewer beetles, and a fifth fewer unique species, than healthy kauri stands. The researchers suggest the loss of kauri canopy increases the light, wind, and dryness of the forest floor, making it less hospitable for bugs.