With several vehicles going up in flames for unexplained reasons in the State, Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) has launched a study on the suspected role of a ‘miscreant’ beetle behind such mishaps.
The Asian (or granulate) ambrosia beetle, Xylosandrus crassiusculus, a commonly-found variety of ambrosia beetle in the State, is known to bore fuel pipes and lead to fuel leaks causing automobile fire.
The species is also feared to become pests to natural rubber trees, a vital cash crop in the State.
The population study, undertaken by the KFRI research team comprising chief scientist T.V. Sajeev, scientist Jithu U. Krishnan and research scholar Thushar Naduvallur, will focus on managing such ecological threats caused by the disruptive species.
Wide distribution
Belonging to the wood-boring insect families Scolytinae and Platypodinae, the subtropical beetles enjoy a cosmopolitan distribution across eastern Africa, India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan and southeast Asia. However, recent trends have shown the beetle has spread to other parts, adapting to a wide range of climate zones including tropical, subtropical and temperate areas.
While it is yet to be ascertained whether the insects triggered any of the recent spate of vehicle fires, the researchers found scores of the beetles in several fuel pipes across multiple service centres, mostly in Central Kerala, making them prime suspects.
Dr. Sajeev points out a combination of factors have led to the threat posed by beetles to vehicles. Ambrosia beetle species largely prefer deceased trees to establish intricate galleries and cultivate ambrosia fungi that acts as a vital food source for their larvae. Some also attack stressed or weakened trees that emit volatile organic compounds like ethanol in response to stress. This natural phenomenon tends to attract ambrosia beetles to them.
Contributing to the growing menace, rather inadvertently, has been the national policy to promote the use of ethanol blended petrol for various purposes including to reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports and mitigate vehicular emissions. Oil marketing companies currently sell petrol blended with 10% ethanol. This is seen as the underlying reason that beetles are drawn to fuels containing ethanol and end up burrowing into fuel pipes.
Population explosion
Abrupt climatic variations, shrinking habitats or any other threat to native timber plants can also lead to sudden population explosions.
KFRI has also initiated a research project that will focus on the potential maintenance of ambrosia beetles and their responses to various materials used in fuel pipes used in the automobile industry. The institute will also study the possibility of invasion by similar species in Kerala.
