Since the damage by Dinoderus minutus is limited to nonliving plant parts, this plant pest is not subject to plant health regulations. Hence, the categorisation of the phytosanitary risk is not applicable. However, the beetle can cause damage in the area of stored products protection/material protection.

So far, the bamboo borer Dinoderus minutus that is cosmopolitan in the tropics did not occur in Germany/the EU, but was currently found on bamboo panelling of plant boxes in the interior of a zoo in Berlin. So far, it is listed neither in the Annexes of Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 nor by EPPO..

The beetle infests especially bamboo after felling but can also infest other plants after harvest, e.g. sugarcane, manioc and rice.

Due to unsuitable climatic conditions, it is assumed that D. minutus cannot establish in Germany in the open field. Establishment in southern EU-Member States is theoretically possible. The infestation of living plants is not expected.

Since the smaller bamboo shot-hole borer exclusively infests plants after harvest, it is a storage pest/material pest. While the beetle has a high potential for damaging bamboo in particular, it apparently prefers freshly felled bamboo. Therefore, it does not pose any phytosanitary risk for Germany and other EUMember States. However, there is uncertainty as to whether there is a risk to stored bamboo that has not been freshly cut or to other stored host plants, or whether temperatures during storage are too low for the beetle. The risk for storage protection resp. for stored host plants and processed bamboo in southern EU-Member States is estimated as higher due to higher temperatures.