Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

In July 2002, a hurricane destroyed tree stands in a large area of the Piska Forest. Part of the damaged forest – 475 ha – was left without interference ("Szast" protective forest) – to natural succession. In the years 2005-2021, beetles were investigated on selected post-hurricane and control plots. Various types of traps (IBL-2bis, Netocia, Moericke's) were used for catching. This was supplemented by active catches of Coleoptera and analyses of potential beetle breeding material. During the research, a total of 1000 Coleoptera species were found.

This paper presents data on taxa: rare, forest relics and those mentioned in the Red List. A total of 32 species, belonging to 12 families, were found for the first time in the Masurian Lake District, and 14 species are included in the Red List of Threatened Animals in Poland. Among the listed beetles, there are nine species that are recognized as forest relics: Ampedus tristis (Elateridae), Leiestes seminiger (Endomychidae), Laemophloeus muticus (Laemophloeidae), Mycetophagus ater (Mycetophagidae), Stagetus borealis (Ptinidae), Phymatura brevicollis, Tachyusida gracilis (Staphylinidae), Peltis grossa (Peltidae), Prionychus melanarius (Tenebrionidae). Many interesting species were found only in the "Szast" Protection Forest, which indicates, that from the point of view of nature protection, leaving fragments of the forest without interference after large-scale disturbances without interference is advisable. Such areas become a refuge for rare organisms, especially saproxylic ones.