Insect of the year showcases conflict between economic interests and biodiversity
For the first time in Estonia's nature conservation history, an insect has been chosen alongside the animal, soil and fish of the year. The honor goes to the large poplar longhorn beetle (Saperda carcharias).
Ivar Sibul, associate professor of dendrology and forest entomology at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, noted that although people tend to categorize nature based on its usefulness to them, such divisions are often arbitrary from a biological standpoint. As a result, the poplar longhorn beetle is viewed as a pest in forestry. However, it plays a specific role in maintaining forest health. "Humans talk about insects as either beneficial or harmful, but nature doesn't work like that — [the beetle] contributes to the functioning of the ecosystem," Sibul said.
From an economic perspective, the poplar longhorn beetle is undeniably destructive to the timber industry. The beetle's larva bores into the trunk of a young aspen tree near the ground and tunnels through it for several years. During that time, it moves up to a meter upward through the wood, permanently degrading its quality. "Of course, humans can't get that beautiful white pulpwood from it anymore," the associate professor remarked. The bored tunnels also provide an entry point for fungal infections, which turn the wood brownish and lead to rot.
Despite the significant internal damage, the tree and beetle are often able to coexist for a long time. And it's rarely just one larva — an old aspen tree can host six or seven separate tunnels bored by different poplar longhorns.
On the flip side, the large poplar longhorn beetle and its relatives serve an irreplaceable role in the forest as natural sanitizers, accelerating the decomposition of wood and thus supporting nutrient cycling. In doing so, they prepare the wood for other groups of organisms. "They all contribute to the breakdown of wood. That's an important process in the forest and in ecosystems overall," Sibul explained.
Nature enthusiasts can spot the insect of the year during the summer months, when the adult beetles emerge from so-called pupal chambers built by the larvae. The poplar longhorn's flight season runs from June through the end of August, during which the beetles feed on aspen leaves to build up energy for reproduction. While they do make holes in the leaves, the damage to the tree is negligible.
The hedgehog has been declared Estonia's animal of the year 2026, while among avian creatures, the title went to the common swift.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Jaan-Juhan Oidermaa
