Training and utilizing scent detection dogs in the identification of the European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus

The European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) thrives in weakened mature spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) stands, causing massive destruction and becoming more abundant in Europe since the late 2010s. Early identification of new outbreaks is essential to ensure timely logging of infested trees to control the bark beetle population. Scent detection dogs (Canis lupus familiaris L.) are being used to identify illegal substances, diseases, and animal scat. In this study, the use of scent detection dogs in the identification of the European spruce bark beetle was tested. The main objective was to examine whether a dog could be trained to reliably identify the scent of a small group of live bark beetles. In this study we carried out comprehensive testing of the accuracy of the method in the laboratory and performed a small-scale functionality study in a field setting. The study was conducted by training two scent detection dogs to identify live bark beetles from empty samples and interference samples. This study differs from previous publications regarding spruce bark beetle detection, as our dogs were trained on live beetles. We concluded that, after a relatively short training period (23 days within eight weeks), scent detection dogs can identify a small sample of live European spruce bark beetles with a 98% sensitivity in the laboratory. The sensitivity was remarkably high and gave positive indications of the method’s functionality and usability in the future also in field conditions. The use of a scent detection dog can be a welcome and effective way to identify bark beetle damage.