Insect pests of timber-in-service: an Australian review

ABSTRACT

‘Timber-in-service’ consists of tree components prepared for use in building and carpentry and other wooden infrastructure such as bridges, pylons and power poles. About 70% of timber used in Australia goes into building and construction and 15–20% goes into furniture, and 50 000 electricity poles are produced annually. Timber-in-service pests are a threat to such material throughout its service life. In this review, we identify native and non-native insects associated with timber-in-service in Australia and their impacts and current management. Border and post-biosecurity interception data of insects associated with wood and wood products are analysed to assess future risks, and key biosecurity threats (i.e. exotic timber-in-service pests) are identified. We review current biosecurity systems and processes related to the mitigation of potential threats to timber-in-service and provide examples of how detections of exotic timber-in-service pests are managed in Australia. We conclude with recommendations on how to improve biosecurity and management of timber-in-service pests.

KEYWORDS:

• biosecurity
• termites
• timber degrade
• beetles

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00049158.2022.2145723

Acknowledgements

We thank staff at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, particularly Brendon Reading, for access to border interception data. Stephen Wade and Deirdre Gunning (NSW DPI) provided data and information on government responses to timber-in-service pests for NSW. Matthew Gordon, Brendon Reading and Chris Howard (DAFF), Babar Hassan (DAF) and Louise Rossiter (DPI) provided comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. The manuscript was further improved by suggestions from two anonymous reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ https://www.rhinobldg.com/termites-cannot-make-a-meal-of-a-steel-building/

² https://truecore.com.au/node/146

³ https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/reporting,-diagnostics-and-biosecurity-collections/emergency-plant-pest-reporting-and-what-happens-next/protect-from-exotic-pests

⁴ https://www.standards.org.au/

⁵ https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0

⁶ https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-024

Additional information

Funding

HN was funded by an Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship through the Queensland Department of Innovation and Tourism Industry Development, supported by the University of the Sunshine Coast, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the National Sirex Coordination Committee, Forest and Wood Products Australia, Plant Health Australia and HQPlantations Pty Ltd.