Six types of pheromone traps were tested between 2012 and 2014 in the High Tatra Mountains, northern Slovakia. Traps were baited with lures for attracting the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographusL.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae). Among the tested traps, four types are commercial products; Theysohn (T-trap), Ecotrap (E-trap), Lindgren funnel trap (L-trap), BEKA trap (B-trap) and two are our newly developed models; Funnel trap (P-trap) and Cross trap (K-trap). The traps were set up on ten selected sites and tested during three growing seasons (2012, 2013 and 2014). The newly developed models were compared to the commercially available models for trapping efficiency of target pest, easy to use and impact on non-target insect species. We found that the best commercially available model is the L-trap, however the bottom of L-trap is considered too shallow resulting in an accumulation of rainwater that increases the traps attractiveness for Silphids. In our experiment, the newly developed models; P-trap and K-trap performed better compared to commercially used models. P-trap caught 28% moreI. typographusand K-trap caught 57% more beetles compared to T-trap in 2014. There are additional advantages of the newly developed traps such as easy handling, good rainwater drainage, higher collection container volume, and scale marking within the collection container. The results of this study have encouraged us to patent P-trap and K-trap as utility models.

The attractiveness of ultra high release ethanol lures to ambrosia beetles in Slovakian oak forests was tested from 2010 to 2012. A total of 24,705 specimens were captured during this three year period with Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg, 1837) representing 49.28% (12,174 specimens) of the total. Other dominant species captured in the traps were Anisandrus dispar (F., 1792) (27.84%), Xyleborus monographus (F., 1792) (9.72%) and Trypodendron signatum (F., 1792) (6.04%). During this experiment, Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford, 1894) was detected for the first time in Slovakia with an increase in capture each year (19, 40 and 77 specimens, respectively). Flight period for ambrosia beetles in Slovakia occurs from the beginning of April through the end of September. This is the first time that ethanol baited traps were deployed in Slovakian oak forests and the lures were an effective tool for monitoring native and non-native ambrosia beetles.

Salvage felling is one of the indicators of the forest health quality and stability. Most of the European Union countries monitor forest harmful agents, which account for salvage felling, in order to see trends or functionality between factors and to be able to predict their development. The systematic evidence of forest harmful agents and volume of salvage felling in Slovakia started at the Forest Research Institute in Zvolen in 1960. The paper focuses on the occurrence of the most relevant harmful agents and volume of salvage felling in the Slovak forests over the last decade. Within the 10 years period (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013) salvage felling in Slovakia reached 42.31 mil. m 3 of wood, which was 53.2% of the total felling. Wind and European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus damaged 78.4% of salvage wood, i.e. they were the most important pest agents. Norway spruce (Picea abies) was the most frequently damaged tree species that represented the amount of 35.6 mil. m 3 of wood (81.2% of total volume of salvage felling). As Norway spruce grows mostly in mountains, these regions of Central and Northern Slovakia were most affected. At the damaged localities new forests were prevailingly established with regard to suitable ecological conditions for trees, climate change scenarios and if possible, natural regeneration has been preferred. These approaches in forest stand regeneration together with silvicultural and control measures are assumed to gradually decrease the amount of salvage felling over long term perspective.Keywords: salvage felling; pest agents; windstorms; bark beetles; Ips typographus abstrakt Náhodná ťažba je jedným z indikátorov zdravotného stavu lesov a jeho stability. Niektoré štáty Európskej únie monitorujú škodlivé činitele, ktoré sú príčinou náhodnej ťažby, aby zisťovali vzťahy medzi činiteľmi a prognózovali ich vývoj. Systematická evidencia škodli-vých činiteľov a objemu náhodných ťažieb začala v 1960 v Lesníckom výskumnom ústave Zvolen. Tento príspevok sa zameral na výskyt najzávažnejších škodlivých činiteľov a objem náhodných ťažieb v slovenských lesoch počas ostatného desaťročia. V priebehu 10-ročného obdobia (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013) náhodná ťažba na Slovensku predstavovala 42,31 mil. m 3 kalamitnej hmoty, čo je 53,2 % podiel na celkovej ťažbe. Vietor a lykožrút smrekový Ips typographus zapríčinili až 78,4 % náhodnej ťažby a týmto patrili k najvýznamnejším škodlivým činiteľom v lesoch Slovenska. Smrek obyčajný (Picea abies) bol najčastejšie poškodzovanou drevinou, pričom jeho kalamitná hmota predstavovala objem 35,6 mil. m 3 , čo bol 81,2 % podiel na celkovej náhodnej ťažbe. Smrek obyčajný rastie predovšetkým v horských oblastiach Slovenska, práve tieto regióny stredného a severného Slovenska boli najviac poškodzované. Na obnovovaných plochách po kalamitách sa lesy zakladajú prevažne s ohľadom na ekologickú vhodnosť pre vybrané dreviny, čiastočne aj na klimatickú zmenu a preferuje sa pritom prirodzené zmladenie...

In June 2018, the presence of one adult specimen and one egg cluster of the North-American oak lace bug Corythucha arcuata were recorded near the village of Mužla, close to the Danube River, in southern Slovakia. They were found on leaves of Quercus cerris growing in a mixed stand. In August 2018, other specimens (nymphs and adults) were observed on Quercus robur leaves, near Čičarovce, in eastern Slovakia. This is the first record of C. arcuata in our country. The oak lace bug probably reached us while invading from Hungary, where heavy infestation is reported from several parts of the country.