Xylophagous alien invasive beetles (Coleoptera) in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

In recent years, the Mediterranean basin has been invaded by a substantial number of alien wood-boring beetles, which represent some of the most destructive economic pests worldwide. The term wood-boring beetles encompasses many species of xylophagous beetles whose larval or adult stages eat and destroy wood. The most speciose Coleoptera families of wood-boring beetles include the Cerambycidae, Curculionoidea, Buprestidae and Bostrichidae. The majority of alien wood-boring species are native to southern Asia with a few records from North America. Most of these introductions take place accidentally mostly via international trade of goods, commodities, wood packaging materials and live plants.