User:Natom24/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Bark beetle

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
Bark Beetles are known to have devastating effects on forest ecosystems and need to be given proper attention to stress how important they are.

Evaluate the article
The first thing I noticed about the article was the lack of photos of the actual beetles, with instead numerous photos of dead trees and bark beetle patterns. The location of the gallery also seems awkward with the pictures being centered at the bottom of the page. While the information seems to be current, numerous sentences are in need of a citation to back up the claims that are made. Another importance is the need for more sections within the article. Currently, the only section, "Ecology", covers a variety of topics such as reproduction to their effect as pests to management plans. Adding more sections, such as "Bark beetles as Pests" or a page on identifying bark beetles would greatly clarify data and improve the readability of the article. Another recommendation I have is to expand upon some ideas. For example, the bark beetle management in Šumava National Park is mentioned, but it is never elaborated on what the management plan is and why it might be considered controversial. More information could also be given about ambrosia beetles since they are relatively unique among insects. This could include ambrosia beetle's methods for farming fungi and the effects this can have on the trees the beetles inhabit. In general, the tone of the article is relatively neutral and does not show much if any bias. The citations all work and cover a wide variety of sources. Again, however, some facts listed need to have citations added to enforce the ideas listed. In terms of the talk section, the majority of comments are about corrections needed to improve the article. A few citations could also be updated to reflect more current research. The article is rated C-Class by all of its WikiProjects, including the WikiProject Insects, WikiProject Beetles, and WikiProject Forestry. Overall, the article has a good start, but needs vast improvements on the sorting of information as well as the citing of information.