A tiny insect, most known for making tiny holes, is making a surprisingly huge impact in Indian forests.
The island pinhole borer, an insect less than one-tenth of an inch long, has wreaked havoc on an invasive tree species that is taking over forests in the South Asian nation, as reported by The Hindu. The result is many of these Senna spectabilis trees, which are a threat to local habitats, are now dying, giving hope to native wildlife.
The insect, a species of weevil, is known as the pinhole borer because it creates pin-sized holes by burrowing into trees to lay eggs. It leaves fungal spores behind, which are then eaten by the insects, all of which eventually lead to a tree's demise.
With the Senna spectabilis, this is a welcome development. As Mongabay reported, the tree was originally brought to Wayanad, a district in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, in the 1980s. Officials hoped it would be a good shade tree in the area, but it instead became an invasive species that has spread throughout much of southern India. And that spread has magnified in recent years.
In 2013-14, about 6 square miles of S. spectabilis trees existed in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. A decade later, that number was above 48 square miles, meaning the trees covered about 35% of the sanctuary.
That growth has meant less room for other native plant species and a decrease in local wildlife's natural habitat.
"One observation is that bamboo hasn't come back with the same vigor as before," researcher Anoop N.R. told Mongabay. "Senna has almost pushed it out."
This rapid growth has officials trying different methods to eradicate Senna trees from their forests, making the island pinhole borer's recent actions a welcome sign of relief.
Invasive species can cause major disruption to ecosystems. Brought to a foreign area by human activity, they use up valuable resources in the environment, meaning less of those resources are available to native plants and animals. When not properly handled, these species can cause native wildlife to go extinct.
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Absolutely 💯 Researchers are now studying the extent of the pinhole borer's impact on Senna growth to see if it can be used as a long-term solution. The Times of India reported that officials are encouraged but also need to ensure that the insects don't spread too widely and cause damage to other necessary tree species.
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"While this is a welcome development in the efforts to manage Senna spectabilis," researcher T.V. Sajeev told The Hindu, "the population buildup of the insect and the response of its natural enemies need careful monitoring."
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