Abstract

About 100 commercially important timber species are being extracted from the natural forests and plantations in Kerala State (India), and stored in depots. The stored timber is often attacked by boring Coleoptera. In the present study, 68 species of borers were recorded as pests of 50 species of stored timber. Fourteen new host records are included. The timbers most susceptible to borer infestation were Anacardium occidentale, Bombax ceiba, Hevea brasiliensis, Mangifera indica, and Polyalthia fragrans susceptible to infestation by cerambycid, platypodid, scolytid, or bostrychid borersand Artocarpus heterophyllus, Canarium strictum, Erythrina indica, Lophopetalum wightianum, Tetrameles nudiflora, and Vateria indica susceptible to infestation by scolytid, platypodid, or bostrychid borers. The nature and extent of damage by these borers warrant adoption of effective prophylactic treatments to timber stored in depots and storage yards