Cryphalus morivorus

Cryphalus Cryphalus morivorus is a very small bark beetle native to East Asia. Its main host is mulberry, especially white mulberry (Morus alba). The beetles develop under the bark of living twigs and thin branches, where the adults and larvae create short galleries. The biology of the species in Europe is still insufficiently known, but in its newly recorded European locality it was found repeatedly on weakened and declining mulberry trees. Damage is caused by gallery formation under the bark, which disrupts the flow of water and nutrients in young branches. Infested trees may show branch dieback, reduced vigour and gradual decline. In ornamental plantings, the pest can reduce the aesthetic value of mulberries, especially when dry twigs remain visible in the crown. The species was originally known from East Asia. In Europe it has recently been confirmed (2025) for the first time in Slovakia, where establishment has been recorded. It may represent a potential risk for ornamental and productive mulberry plantings.