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In 2009, we determined the effects of the enantiomeric composition of the kairomone, α-pinene, on trap catches of arboreal beetles (Coleoptera) in stands of eastern pine trees with resin dominated by (+)-α-pinene. We hypothesized that the responses of beetles would correlate with the predominant enantiomer of α-pinene found in host pines. Lures of (+)-, racemic (±), and (−)-α-pinene were added separately to ethanol-baited multiple-funnel traps. Species such as Monarthrum mali (Fitch), Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier), Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff), and Pachylobius picivorus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) showed a preference for traps co-baited with (–)-α-pinene. α-Pinene enhanced attraction of Hylastes salebrosus Eichhoff, Hylastes porculus Erickson and Hylastes tenuis Eichhoff (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to ethanol-baited traps with no effects from enantiomeric composition of α-pinene. The attraction of the ambrosia beetles, Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg) and Dryoxylon onoharaense (Murayama) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to ethanol-baited traps was interrupted by the addition of α-pinene, regardless of enantiomeric composition. Species such as Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford), Cnestus mutilatus (Blandford) and Stenoscelis brevis (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were unaffected by the presence of α-pinene. Trap catches of some species of longhorn beetles and bark beetle predators (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Cleridae, Elateridae, Histeridae, and Trogossitidae) were increased by the addition of α-pinene, although results varied by location. Platysoma spp. (Coleoptera: Histeridae) showed a marked preference for traps co-baited with (+)-α-pinene in Florida and Georgia. In summary, we found that the enantiomeric composition of α-pinene in hosts was not a good predictor of enantiomeric preferences by beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male cerambycid beetles of the large subfamilies Cerambycinae and Lamiinae produce aggregation-sex pheromones that attract both sexes. The pheromones of many species are conserved among both closely related species (e.g. congeners) and more distantly related species (e.g. different subfamilies), including those endemic to different continents. This parsimony in pheromone structures suggests that multiple species may be attracted to traps baited with blends of pheromones, and such blends are finding use in delineating geographic ranges of native species and in surveillance programs for incursions of exotic species. Here, we present the results of a field experiment conducted at multiple sites in Iowa that tested the effects of deploying ethanol lures in tandem with a 6-component blend of common pheromone components for cerambycine and lamiine species and a 5-component blend that specifically targeted lamiines. Eight cerambycine species showed significant treatment effects, most of which were attracted to the 6-component blend, and ethanol increased attraction for half of these species. Two cerambycine species were attracted only by ethanol. Seven lamiine species were attracted by the lamiine-specific blend, alone or when combined with ethanol, and 3 of these species also were attracted to the 6-component blend. Taken together, these findings provide further evidence that carefully crafted blends of pheromones can be used to monitor the presence or abundance of multiple cerambycid species. Ethanol either increased the number of beetles attracted by pheromones or had no effect, so there is no apparent downside to deploying ethanol lures in combination with pheromones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult male cerambycid beetles of the subfamilies Cerambycinae and Lamiinae emit aggregation-sex pheromones that attract both sexes, and these chemicals can be utilized for quarantine surveillance for related exotic species which produce the same or similar pheromones. Here, we assess how attraction of 7 cerambycid species to pheromone-baited traps was influenced by the release rates of synthesized pheromones from polyethylene sachet emitters. Compounds tested included racemic 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, the (R)-enantiomer of which is the sole or major pheromone component of numerous cerambycine species, and 2 compounds that are pheromone components of many lamiine species: (E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-yl acetate (fuscumol acetate) and 6-methylhept-5-en-2-ol (sulcatol). We confirmed release rates of these compounds could be manipulated by varying the doses loaded into emitters. Various doses and concentrations, ranging from very dilute to the neat compounds, were then tested in field trials. Several species were most strongly attracted to the highest dose of a tested compound, one species to an intermediate dose, while another species was equally attracted regardless of dose. Our results demonstrate the importance of characterizing dose–response relationships for cerambycid species targeted by pheromone-based trapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the seasonal occurrence of bark and woodboring Coleoptera in Pinus densiflora (Pinales: Pinaceae), and Larix kaempferi (Pinales: Pinaceae) stands using multifunnel traps baited with pine volatiles in Korea. The number and species of bark and woodboring beetles caught in traps baited with ethanol, α -pinene, and ethanol+ α -pinene were compared to determine the effective attractants. In addition, the effects of other pine volatiles, such as (-)- β -pinene, β -caryophyllene, (±)-limonene, β -myrcene, and 3-carene, were investigated. A total of 13,134 woodboring beetles from 150 species were collected from pine and larch stands from 2019 to 2020. Tomicus minor (Hartig) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults were more attracted to traps baited with α -pinene, whereas Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Cyclorhipidion pelliculosum (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and Phloeosinus pulchellus (Blandford) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults were more attracted to traps baited with ethanol. Hylurgops interstitialis (Chapuis) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Shirahoshizo genus group, Rhagium inquisitor (Linne) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), and Rhadinomerus maebarai (Voss & Chûjô) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were more frequently attracted to traps baited with ethanol+ α -pinene than to traps baited with other attractants. The addition of 3-carene to ethanol+ α -pinene enhanced the capture of H. interstitialis , R. inquisitor , and Hylobius (Callirus) haroldi (Faust) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monochamus alternatus Hope, 1842, is a major forest pest that hosts the pathogenic pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer, 1934) Nickle 1970. Taxonomically, M. alternatus is currently divided into two subspecies, based on morphology and geography: Monochamus alternatus alternatus Hope, 1842 in China, Taiwan, Tibet, Vietnam, and Laos and Monochamus alternatus endaiMakihara, 2004 in South Korea and Japan. Despite their economic importance, the subspecies taxonomy of M. alternatus has never been tested after the first description. In this study, we aimed to reassess the subspecies taxonomy of M. alternatus using molecular and morphological data. For morphological analysis, we examined three major morphological characters (pronotal longitudinal band, granulation on humeri, and elytral proximomedial spine) from 191 individuals from China, Korea, and Taiwan. Population genetic structures were examined using 85 de novo sequences and 82 public COI sequences from China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and a few intercepted specimens from the United States. All the genetic data were aligned as three different multiple sequence alignments. Individuals from each subspecies were morphologically and genetically scattered, not clustered according to subspecies in any of the analyses. Therefore, a new synonymy is proposed: Monochamus alternatus Hope, 1842 = Monochamus alternatus endai, syn. n. This study suggests a more robust classification of M. alternatus for the first time and ultimately will pose a substantial impact on implementing quarantine or forestry policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firewood and wood packaging material (WPM) are major pathways for moving bark- and wood-infesting insects (borers). Heat treatment regulations for interstate firewood movement vary among U.S. states: from 56°C for 30 min to 71.1°C for 75 min. Current WPM international standards (ISPM 15) require heating to a minimum of 56°C for 30 min throughout the profile of the wood. Using bolts from infested ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), oak (Quercus), and pine (Pinus) trees in Michigan, we assessed borer mortality at core temperatures of 50, 53, 56, and 60°C maintained for 30 min in chambers set to 60, 65, 70, or 75°C. After treatment, bolts were monitored for adult emergence and later dissected to determine borer mortality rates. Mortality was high to complete for all heat treatments and increased with both increasing core and chamber temperatures. For the Agrilus (Buprestidae) species tested, there was complete mortality of Agrilus anxius on birch and Agrilus planipennis on ash when core temperatures of 56°C or higher were targeted regardless of chamber temperature. However, on oak, a few Agrilus bilineatus and Agrilus sulcicollis survived in bolts heated to 56°C in chambers at 60 and 65°C, and some A. sulcicollis survived in chambers set at 70 and 75°C. Similarly, a few pine-infesting borers survived heating to 56°C at all chamber temperatures. However, there was complete mortality in all hosts when bolts were heated to 60°C for 30 min, regardless of chamber temperature. Results are discussed in terms of current treatment regulations for firewood and WPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2012–2013, we assessed the interactive effects of the cerambycid pheromones syn -2,3-hexanediol, 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, and 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one on catches of bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in ethanol-baited multiple-funnel traps in north Georgia and South Carolina. We found that catches for nine of eleven species of ambrosia beetles in ethanol-baited traps were either unaffected or enhanced by the addition of 3,2-hydroxyketones. Similarly catches of five species of bark beetles were either unaffected or enhanced by the addition of 3,2-hydroxyketones. In particular, catches of Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky), Cnestus mutilatus (Blandford), and Monarthrum fasciatum (Say) in ethanol-baited traps increased with the addition of 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one and/or 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one. Catches of the bark beetles Hylocurus rudis (LeConte) and Hypothenemus rotundicollis (Eichhoff) were enhanced by the addition of 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one and 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one, respectively. syn -2,3-Hexanediol had no effect on catches of bark and ambrosia beetles in ethanol-baited traps. Our data provide support for the use of ethanol + cerambycid pheromones for targeting non-native species of bark and ambrosia beetles as well as cerambycids in detection programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early detection of bark- and wood-boring beetles is critical to support the eradication of recently established populations in novel regions. Flight intercept traps baited with semiochemical lures are essential for surveillance and population monitoring of introduced insects. We present laboratory and field data to test potential improvements in trap sensitivity to detect Hylastes ater (Paykull), Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius) (Coleoptera:Scolytinae), and Arhopalus ferus (Mulsant) (Coleoptera:Cerambycidae). We evaluated the effects of type and permeability of plastic material on release rates of host-plant volatiles and the addition of the pheromone racemic E-fuscumol on beetle species catch within an exotic Pinus radiata (D. Don) plantation forest. We trapped 228,278 H. ligniperda, 91 H. ater, and 2,504 A. ferus over two experiments. Our results show strong attraction of H. ligniperda to host-plant volatiles with a positive relationship between increased release rates and trap catch. H. ater follows this trend, with attraction to ethanol and (–)-β-pinene. H. ligniperda was more strongly attracted to host volatiles than H. ater, the average ratio between baited and unbaited traps being 51.25:1 and 3.75:1, respectively for each species. There was no effect of host-plant volatiles or release rate on A. ferus catch, but a weak attraction by A. ferus to racemic E-fuscumol. Overall, we demonstrate species-specific differences in Coleoptera attraction to host-plant volatile release rates and semiochemical blends. Results demonstrate mechanisms to improve trap catch of H. ligniperda and H. ater. Racemic E-fuscumol shows some promise for A. ferus, but further investigation is required to determine whether chirality affects attraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A molecular diagnostic method using TaqMan probe qPCR is presented for the identification of Anoplophora chinensis (Förster) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from whole body insects (adults and larvae) and frass samples stored under different conditions. The results showed a perfect amplification of DNA from all samples; the repeatability and reproducibility of the protocol were very good, with standard deviations of inter-run and intra-run variability less than or equal to 0.5. The assay allowed to discern all A. chinensis samples from those of the other non-target wood-borer species, with 100% correspondence to the homologous sequences. No amplification or cross reactions were observed with A. glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), which is the most related species among those tested. The protocol was validated by an internal blind panel test which showed a good correspondence between the results obtained by different operators in the same lab. The analytical sensitivity for the lab frass with the Probe qPCR, namely the lowest amount of A. chinensis DNA that can be detected (LoD), was 0.64 pg/µl with a Cq of 34.87. The use of indirect evidence for the identification of a pest is an important feature of the method, which could be crucial to detect the presence of wood-boring insects. This diagnostic tool can help prevent the introduction of A. chinensis into new environments or delimit existing outbreak areas thanks to indirect frass diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis [Motschulsky]) is an invasive wood-boring beetle that threatens urban trees and forests in North America and Europe. The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum Petch strain F52 can infect and kill A. glabripennis adults. Products containing this fungus were available for commercial use in the United States but not registered for Asian longhorned beetle. This study tested different formulations and application rates of M. brunneum F52 microsclerotial granules for their potential development for management of A. glabripennis adults. Three application rates of M. brunneum microsclerotial granules relative to a 1× formulation from previous experiments (0.03 g/cm2; 2× = 0.06 g/cm2 and 3× = 0.09 g/cm2) were exposed on tree trunks for 4-wk periods during May–September. Increased application rates had better retention (% of initial g applied) than the 1× rate, rather than greater weathering loss. Microsclerotia at the 2× application produced 5.05 × 106 conidia/cm2, which was 18 times more conidia than the 1× application. Since A. glabripennis is under active eradication, bioassays with adult beetles were carried out in a quarantine laboratory, using the formulation samples from field exposures. The 2× application resulted in faster beetle mortality. The 3× and 2× rates were not significantly different in retention of the formulation, conidial production, or mortality, but 2× produced the most conidia per gram applied (3.92 × 109 conidia/g). An augmented formulation containing 70% M. brunneum by weight, rather than 50%, produced significantly more conidia and faster beetle mortality than the 50% formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky, 1853), native to eastern Asia, is a destructive woodborer of many ornamental species, leading to the decline and the death of the attacked trees. In outbreak areas as Europe or North America, this pest is usually identified using morphological or molecular analyses of adult or larval specimens. However, the procedures for collecting A. glabripennis specimens from infested plants are too expensive and time consuming for routine screening. A noninvasive diagnostic tool based on frass discrimination is therefore crucial for the rapid identification of A. glabripennis at different development stages in the host. This article describes a rapid diagnostic protocol based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). DNA extracted from A. glabripennis frass was amplified with both visual and real-time LAMP and compared with those of nontarget species. The results show that the method is reliable and accurate and therefore could be a promising diagnostic tool in phytosanitary surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bark and ambrosia beetles are commonly moved among continents within timber and fresh wood-packaging materials. Routine visual inspections of imported commodities are often complemented with baited traps set up in natural areas surrounding entry points. Given that these activities can be expensive, trapping protocols that attract multiple species simultaneously are needed. Here we investigated whether trapping protocols commonly used to detect longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) can be exploited also for detecting bark and ambrosia beetles. In factorial experiments conducted in 2016 both in Italy (seminatural and reforested forests) and Canada (mixed forest) we tested the effect of trap color (green vs purple), trap height (understory vs canopy), and attractive blend (hardwood-blend developed for broadleaf-associated wood-boring beetles vs ethanol in Italy; hardwood-blend vs softwood-blend developed for conifer-associated wood-boring beetles, in Canada) separately on bark beetles and ambrosia beetles, as well as on individual bark and ambrosia beetle species. Trap color affected catch of ambrosia beetles more so than bark beetles, with purple traps generally more attractive than green traps. Trap height affected both beetle groups, with understory traps generally performing better than canopy traps. Hardwood-blend and ethanol performed almost equally in attracting ambrosia beetles in Italy, whereas hardwood-blend and softwood-blend were more attractive to broadleaf-associated species and conifer-associated species, respectively, in Canada. In general, we showed that trapping variables suitable for generic surveillance of longhorn and jewel beetles may also be exploited for survey of bark and ambrosia beetles, but trapping protocols must be adjusted depending on the forest type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ontsira mellipes Ashmead is a gregarious larval ectoparasitoid of woodboring cerambycids that is native to North America but can readily attack the exotic Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky). To evaluate the potential of the parasitoid as a novel association control agent for the pest beetle, this study investigated some key reproductive traits of the parasitoid, including egg maturation dynamics, and host size preference and suitability in association with the beetle. Results showed that female wasps emerged with a substantial portion (38%) of their lifetime complement of mature eggs and matured eggs rapidly, reaching a peak 4–6 d post-eclosion. The number of mature eggs was positively related to the female wasp's body size. Oviposition prompted production of more mature eggs by young female wasps. The parasitoid did not show a significant preference for large over small hosts in a choice test. Host size did not affect the parasitoid's offspring survival, developmental time, or sex ratio. However, clutch size increased with increasing host size. Female wasps that developed from large hosts had larger body size and consequently a higher mature egg load than those reared from small hosts. Neither longevity nor the total number of parasitized hosts over a female's lifetime was affected by the female's size, but the total number of offspring produced per female increased with the female's size. These results have important implications for improving rearing and field-release strategies as well as understanding the ecological mechanisms underlying host size selection in gregarious parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wood-boring larvae of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) can be important pests of woody plants, particularly as invasive species introduced by international commerce. Previous research has revealed that cerambycid species native to different parts of the world often share the same aggregation-sex pheromones and that pheromones of different species can be combined to create multi-species attractants that would be advantageous for surveillance monitoring for a number of species simultaneously. To explore the extent to which these chemicals can be combined into single lures, we developed four different blends of six to eight compounds and tested their effects as attractants for a community of longhorned beetle species in Iowa. The blends included known pheromones of species native to the study site, as well as pheromones identified from cerambycid species native to other parts of the world. The experiment confirmed that several cerambycid species were attracted by specific blends, in accordance with their known pheromone chemistry, and despite the presence of pheromone components of heterospecifics. This finding lends further support to developing multi-component blends that can effectively monitor for new incursions of multiple exotic species concurrently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins have been widely used over the past decades for many different insect pests, which are safe for users and the environment. The coleopteran-specific Cry3Aa toxin from B. thuringiensis exhibits toxicity to the larvae of Monochamus alternatus. Receptors play a key role in the mechanisms underlying the toxic action of Cry. However, the binding receptor for Cry3Aa has yet to be identified in the midgut of M. alternatus larvae. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the receptor for Cry3Aa toxin in the brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) of M. alternatus larvae. Our results indicate that the Cry3Aa toxin binds to the BBMVs (Kd = 247 nM) of M. alternatus via a 107 kDa aminopeptidase N (APN) (Kd = 57 nM). In silico analysis of the APN protein predicted that an 18 amino acid sequence in the N-terminal acted as a signal peptide, and that the Asn residue, located at position 918 in the C-terminus is an anchored site for glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol. Further analysis showed that M. alternatus APN exhibits 75% homology to the APN from Anoplophora glabripenis. Our work, therefore, confirmed that APN, which is localized in the BBMVs in the midgut of M. alternatus larvae, acts as a binding protein for Cry3Aa toxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky), is a high-risk invasive forest pest worldwide. We surveyed Asian longhorned beetle parasitoid guilds and their seasonal abundance using field-deployed sentinel host logs infested with Asian longhorned beetle eggs or newly hatched (early-instar) larvae in three different sites of China (Beijing City, Shanghai City, and Jilin Province) from 2015 to 2018. Our survey detected 12 species of hymenopteran parasitoids (four Pteromalidae, three Braconidae, two Eupelmidae, one Eurytomidae, one Ichneumonidae, and one Bethylidae) attacking sentinel Asian longhorned beetle larvae or eggs deployed in these sites. Total parasitism by all the parasitoid species varied with different sites and across different years of the survey (averaging 7–16% in Beijing, 4–11% in Shanghai, and 0–0.2% in Jilin Province). In addition, the seasonal pattern of parasitism also differed among different sites, with parasitism peaking in July in the northern site (Beijing, 19%) and June in the southern site (Shanghai, 16%). Among all the parasitoid species recovered, Oxysychus sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) was the most abundant parasitoid species in both Beijing and Shanghai (with 42–66% relative abundance and an average of 6% Asian longhorned beetle parasitism). The second most abundant species was Bracon planitibiae Yang, Cao et Gould (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), which accounted for 35% of the species collected and caused an average of 5% Asian longhorned beetle parasitism. Relevance of our findings to Asian longhorned beetle biocontrol is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky) continues to pose a significant risk to deciduous forests around the world. We assess Asian longhorned beetle-related risks in eastern Canada by generating current and future climate suitability maps, import-based likelihood of introduction estimates for each urban center in our study area, and potential economic impacts in both urban and natural settings. For the current period, climatic suitability for Asian longhorned beetle was highest in southern Ontario, but was projected to expand significantly northward and eastward by midcentury. High likelihood of Asian longhorned beetle introduction was associated with large urban centers, but also smaller centers with high levels of pest-associated imports. Potential costs for the removal and replacement of Asian longhorned beetle-impacted street trees ranged from CDN$8.6 to $12.2 billion, with the exact amount and city-level ranking depending on the method used to calculate risk. Potential losses of merchantable maple (Acer) timber were estimated at CDN$1.6 billion using provincial stumpage fees and CDN$431 million annually when calculated using a combination of economic and forestry product statistics. The gross value of edible maple products, which could potentially be affected by Asian longhorned beetle, was estimated at CDN$358 million annually. These values can help inform the scale of early detection surveys, potential eradication efforts, and research budgets in the event of future Asian longhorned beetle introductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In north-central Georgia, trap height affected catches of some species of bark and woodboring beetles (Coleoptera) in traps baited with lures used in surveillance programs to detect non-native forest insects. Traps were placed within the canopy and understory of mature oak trees (Quercus spp.) with collection cups placed 18–23 m above ground level (AGL), and 0.3–0.5 m AGL, respectively. Traps were baited with ethanol to target ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in one experiment, ethanol + syn -2,3-hexanediol + racemic 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one + racemic 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one to target hardwood woodborers (Cerambycidae) in a second experiment, and α-pinene + racemic ipsenol + racemic ipsdienol to target pine bark beetles (Curculionidae) and woodborers (Cerambycidae) in a third experiment. Canopy traps were more effective than understory traps for detecting Cnestus mutilatus (Blandford) (Curculionidae), Neoclytus scutellaris (Olivier), and Monochamus titillator (F.) (Cerambycidae). The reverse was true for Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky), Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier) (Curculionidae), and Neoclytus acuminatus (F.) (Cerambycidae). Catches of a third group which included Hylobius pales (Herbst), Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff) (Curculionidae), Neoclytus mucronatus (F.), and Anelaphus pumilus (Newman) (Cerambycidae) were largely unaffected by trap height. Similar patterns were noted for species of Cleridae, Scarabaeidae, Trogossitidae, and Zopheridae but not Histeridae or Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera). Catches of the bee assassin Apiomerus crassipes (F.) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in traps baited with the hardwood borer blend were greater in canopy traps than in understory traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of tree injected with emamectin benzoate (EB) against the Asian long-horned beetle (ALB) was tested in a heavily infested willow forest in Beijing, China. In a 1.7-ha plot, 240 out of 310 trees were treated with two EB formulations at various rates. After fall application, the larval population decreased by 89% in the following spring and by >99% during the second year detected by monitoring new frass emission from marked holes. Consequently, the number of exit holes of emerging adults decreased to 0 in the second year. Re-infestation occurred in the third year after application. This high efficacy and lasting activity might be contributed to: a) a favorable translocation of EB in trees when injected into the sapwood; b) the high intrinsic activity against ALB larvae with LC50 of 20–30 ppb; and c) a reduced lifespan of ALB adults by over 60% when feeding on twigs of EB-treated trees. On untreated control trees, the larval population decreased during the first winter. In the second year after application, the larval population was wiped out during winter and a re-infestation started from border trees by adults flying in from outside the trial plot. This pattern indicates an eradication of the ALB population in the 1.7-ha plot can be expected 2 yr after EB treatment. The benefit of treating with EB on the surrounding population was observed in both the untreated trees and imidacloprid-treated trees, suggesting that treatment of EB benefits both the treated trees and the surrounding trees in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present research on the chemical ecology of 14 species of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), in four tribes of the subfamily Cerambycinae, conducted in east-central Illinois over 8 yr. Adult males produce aggregation-sex pheromones that attract both sexes. Twenty independent field bioassays explored the pheromone chemistry of the species and tested the possible attractive or antagonistic effects of compounds that are not produced by a given species, but are pheromone components of other species. Analyses of beetle-produced volatiles revealed compounds that had not been reported previously from several of the species. The most common pheromone component was (R)-3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, but pheromones of some species included isomers of the related 2,3-hexanediols. Males of the congeners Phymatodes amoenus (Say) and Phymatodes testaceus (L.) produced pure (R)-2-methylbutan-1-ol. Enantiomers of 2-methylbutan-1-ol also proved to be powerful synergists for Megacyllene caryae (Gahan), Sarosesthes fulminans (F.), and Xylotrechus colonus (F.). The major components of pheromone blends were consistently present in collections of headspace volatiles from male beetles, and only the major components were inherently attractive to a subset of species when tested as single components. Minor components of some species acted as powerful synergists, but in other cases appeared not to influence attraction. Among the minor components identified in headspace extracts from males, 2,3-hexanedione and 2-hydroxyhexan-3-one appeared to be analytical artifacts or biosynthetic by-products, and were neither attractants nor synergists. The antagonistic effects of minor compounds produced by heterospecific males suggest that these compounds serve to maintain prezygotic reproductive isolation among some species that share pheromone components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of wood packaging materials (WPMs) in international trade is recognized as a pathway for the movement of invasive pests and as the origin of most introductions of Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Europe and North America. Following several pest interceptions on WPM associated with stone imports from China, the European Union (EU) agreed to survey certain categories of imports based on the EU Combined Nomenclature Codes for imports, which are based on the international Harmonized System. Between April 2013 and March 2015, 72,263 relevant consignments were received from China in the EU and 26,008 were inspected. Harmful organisms were detected in 0.9% of the consignments, and 1.1% of the imports did not have markings compliant with the international standard for treating WPM, ISPM 15. There were significant differences between the detection rates of harmful organisms among EU member states. In member states that inspected at least 500 consignments, the rate of detection ranged from 6.9% in Austria and France to 0.0% in Spain and Poland. If this difference in detection rate is the result of differences in the methods and intensity of inspection in different member states then an approximate sevenfold increase in the interception of harmful organisms may be achieved if all states were to achieve detection rates achieved by Austria and France. The EU data from 1999 to 2014 indicated an increasing number of interceptions of Bostrichidae and Cerambycidae since 2010. This study demonstrates that there is an ongoing threat of non-native forest pests being imported on WPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several native species of bark- and wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera) have expanded their range within their native biogeographic regions in the last years, but the role of human activity in driving this phenomenon has been underinvestigated. Here we analyze 3 yr of trapping records of native bark- and wood-boring beetles (Cerambycidae and Scolytinae) collected at 12 Italian ports and their surrounding forests to help elucidate the human role in the movement of native species within their native biogeographic region. We trapped several species that occurred either inside or outside their native distributional range within Italy. Species richness and abundance of those species found in the ports located within their native range were most strongly associated with the amount of forest cover in the surrounding landscape, suggesting that they could have arrived in the ports from the nearby forests. The abundance of the species found outside their native range was instead most strongly linked to the amount of national imports arriving at the port where trapping occurred, suggesting that they were likely introduced to the ports from other parts of Italy. This study demonstrates that national sea transportation can favor species range expansion within a country, and confirms that the forests that surround ports can serve as a source of species that can be potentially moved with exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe several field experiments that evaluated potential problems with current methods of trapping cerambycid beetles using panel traps baited with synthesized pheromones. Positioning traps at least 5 m apart in linear transects was effective in preventing unbaited traps from intercepting beetles that were flying to baited traps, which would result in interference between treatments. There was no evidence that traps baited with a strong attractant drew beetles away from traps baited with weaker attractants, which would lead to the erroneous conclusion that the latter have no activity. Unbaited panel traps were minimally attractive to cerambycid beetles, and unlikely to intercept them passively in flight. Finally, dose--response experiments revealed that trap catch of cerambycids was positively associated with pheromone release rates. Overall, our results generally validated current methods of trapping cerambycids using traps baited with pheromones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of a four-component "super lure" consisting of ethanol (E) and the cerambycid pheromones syn-2,3-hexanediol (D6), racemic 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one (K6), and racemic 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one (K8) on trap catches of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) was determined in southeast United States with seven trapping experiments in 2011--2013. We captured 74 species of longhorn beetles in our three-year study. Ethanol significantly increased the mean catches of seven species and increased the number of cerambycid species detected. Traps with the "super lure" were effective for 8 of 13 species of Cerambycidae previously shown to be attracted to binary combinations of ethanol plus one of the three pheromones. However, the "super lure" was less effective for the remaining five species with catch reductions of 40--90% compared with combinations of ethanol and one or two of the pheromones. For example, K6 + K8 lures reduced catches of Anelaphus villosus (F.) in traps with E + D6 by 90%. Similarly, catches of Anelaphus pumilus (Newman) in traps with E + K6 + D6 were reduced by 50% with the addition of K8. Catches of Knulliana cincta (Drury) in traps with K6 + K8 lures were interrupted by D6, an effect negated by the addition of ethanol. Given the interruptive effects on trap catches of some species when lures are combined in a single trap, developing optimal lure blends to maximize detection efficacy will be a challenge for managers of detection programs for non-native invasive species of longhorn beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dastarcus helophoroides (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae) is an important natural enemy of long-horned beetles in China, Japan, and Korea. In this study, the genetic sequence of cytochrome oxidase subunit I was used to investigate the genetics and relationships within and among D. helophoroides populations collected from five different geographic locations. We used principal component analysis, heatmap, and Venn diagram results to determine the relationship between haplotypes and populations. In total, 26 haplotypes with 51 nucleotide polymorphic sites were defined, and low genetic diversity was found among the different populations. Significant genetic variations were observed mainly within populations, and no correlation was found between genetic distribution and geographical distance. Low pairwise fixation index values (-0.01424 to 0.04896) and high gene flows show that there was high gene exchange between populations. The codistributed haplotype DH01 was suggested to be the most ancestral haplotype, and other haplotypes were thought to have evolved from it through several mutations. In four of the populations, both common haplotypes (DH01, DH03, and DH22) and unique haplotypes were found. Low genetic diversity among different populations is related to a relatively high flight capacity, host movement, and human-aided dispersal of D. helophoroides. The high gene exchange and typically weak population genetic structure among five populations, especially among populations of Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky), Monochamus alternatus (Hope), and Massicus raddei (Blessig),may suggest that these populations cross naturally in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), is an invasive woodborer that poses a serious threat to urban and natural landscapes. In North America, this beetle is a quarantine pest, and populations are subject to eradication efforts that consist of the identification, removal, and destruction of infested host material, and removal or prophylactic treatment of high-risk host plant species. To enhance Asian longhorned beetle eradication protocols in landscapes with extensive host availability, we assessed the dispersal potential of male and female adults of varying age, mating, and nutritional status using computerized flight mills. In total, 162 individuals were tethered to computerized flight mills for a 24-h trial period to collect information on total distance flown, flight times and velocities, and number and duration of flight bouts. Adult Asian longhorned beetles (in all treatments) flew an average of 2,272 m within a 24-h period, but are capable of flying up to 13,667 m (8.5 miles). Nutrition and age had the greatest impacts on flight, with Asian longhorned beetle adults>5 d of age that had fed having greater overall flight performance than any other group. However, mating status, sex, and body size (pre-flight weight and elytron length) had a minimal effect on flight performance. This information will be useful for refining quarantine zones surrounding areas of infestation, and for providing greater specificity as to the risk the Asian longhorned beetle poses within invaded regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetropium fuscum (F.), native to Europe and established in Nova Scotia, Canada, since at least 1990, is considered a low-to-moderate threat to spruce (Picea spp.) forests in North America and regulated as a quarantine pest by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. We tested broadcast applications of the aggregation pheromone racemic (5E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-ol (fuscumol), formulated at 10% concentration in Hercon Bio-Flakes (Hercon International, Emigsville, PA), for efficacy in disrupting T. fuscum mating and suppressing populations. Two applications of 2.5-2.75 kg Bio-Flakes (250-275 g a.i.) per ha per season significantly reduced trap catches and mating success (2009, 2010, 2012): about 30% of females trapped in treated plots had mated compared with 60% of females trapped in untreated plots. Similar reductions in mating success were observed in 2011 with one or two 4.5 kg/ha applications of Bio-Flakes. Mean densities of T. fuscum colonizing sentinel bait logs or girdled trees were 36% lower in pheromone-treated plots than in untreated plots, but the difference was not statistically significant. Lack of population suppression may have been because mated females immigrated into treated plots or because populations were so high that despite a 50% reduction in mating success, absolute numbers of mated females were sufficient to infest our bait logs or trees. This is the first demonstration of insect mating disruption via broadcast application of an aggregation pheromone. Pheromone-mediated mating disruption has potential to slow the spread of invasive cerambycids by targeting low-density outlier populations near or beyond the leading edge of an infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During field trials of the two known cerambycid beetle pheromone components 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one and 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-1,2-propanedione (henceforth "pyrrole") in Guangxi and Anhui provinces in China, four species in the subfamily Cerambycinae were attracted to lures containing one of the two components, or the blend of the two. Thus, the invasive species Callidiellum villosulum (Fairmaire) (tribe Callidiini) and a second species, Xylotrechus buqueti (Castelnau & Gory) (tribe Clytini), were specifically attracted to the blend of 3-hydroxyhexan- 2-one and the pyrrole. In contrast, Allotreus asiaticus (Schwarzer) (tribe Phoracanthini) and Semanotus bifasciatus Motschulsky (tribe Callidiini) were specifically attracted to the pyrrole as a single component. In most cases, both males and females were attracted, indicating that the compounds are likely to be aggregation-sex pheromones. The results indicate that the two compounds are conserved as pheromone components among species within at least three tribes within the subfamily Cerambycinae. For practical purposes, the attractants could find immediate use in surveillance programs aimed at detecting incursions of these species into new areas of the world, including the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because larvae of cerambycid beetles feed within woody plants, they are difficult to detect, and are readily transported in lumber and other wooden products. As a result, increasing numbers of exotic cerambycid species are being introduced into new regions of the world through international commerce, and many of these species pose a threat to woody plants in natural and managed forests. There is a great need for effective methods for detecting exotic and potentially invasive cerambycid species, and for monitoring native species for conservation purposes. Here, we describe a field experiment in east-central Illinois which tested whether attraction of beetles to a blend of synthesized cerambycid pheromones would be enhanced by volatiles from fermenting bait composed of crushed fruit, sugars, yeast, and wood chips. A second experiment tested the same treatments, but also assessed how trap catch was influenced by the vertical position of traps within forests (understory versus within the canopy). During the two experiments, 885 cerambycid beetles of 37 species were caught, with Xylotrechus colonus (F.) (subfamily Cerambycinae) being the most numerous (~52% of total). Adults of several cerambycid species were significantly attracted by the pheromone blend, but the fermenting bait significantly enhanced attraction only for X. colonus and Graphisurus fasciatus (Degeer) (subfamily Lamiinae). Traps in the forest understory caught the greatest number of X. colonus and G. fasciatus, whereas more adults of the cerambycine Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (F.) were caught in the forest canopy rather than the understory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cerambycid beetles comprise a diverse family that includes many economically important pests of living and dead trees. Pheromone lures have been developed for cerambycids in many parts of the world, but to date, have not been tested in Australia. In this study, we tested the efficacy of several pheromones, identified from North American and European species, as attractants for cerambycids at three sites in southeast Queensland, Australia. Over two field seasons, we trapped 863 individuals from 47 cerambycid species. In the first season, racemic 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one was the most attractive compound among the eight pheromones tested. Subsequently, we aimed to optimize trapping success by combining this compound with other components. However, neither the addition of other pheromone components nor host plant volatiles improved the efficacy of 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one alone. We also tested a generic pheromone blend developed for North American cerambycids, and found that only the combination of this blend with host plant volatiles improved trapping success. The Australian cerambycid fauna is not well known, and effective lures for use in trapping beetles would greatly assist in the study of this important group. Effective semiochemical lures would also have implications for biosecurity through improved monitoring for invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed how height of panel traps above the forest floor, and the type of trap bait used, influenced the abundance and diversity of cerambycid beetles caught in forested areas of east-central Illinois. Panel traps were suspended from branches of hardwood trees at three heights above the ground: understory (~1.5 m), lower canopy (~6 m), and midcanopy (~12 m). Traps were baited with either a multispecies blend of synthesized cerambycid pheromones or a fermenting bait mixture. Traps captured a total of 848 beetles of 50 species in the cerambycid subfamilies Cerambycinae, Lamiinae, Lepturinae, and Parandrinae, and one species in the closely related family Disteniidae. The species caught in highest numbers was the cerambycine Anelaphus pumilus (Newman), represented by 349 specimens. The 17 most abundant species (mean ± 1 SD: 45 ± 80 specimens per species) included 12 cerambycine and five lamiine species. Of these most abundant species, 13 (77%) were attracted to traps baited with the pheromone blend. Only the cerambycine Eburia quadrigeminata (Say) was attracted by the fermenting bait. Three species were captured primarily in understory traps, and another five species primarily in midcanopy traps. Variation among cerambycid species in their vertical distribution in forests accounted for similar overall abundances and species richness across trap height treatments. These findings suggest that trapping surveys of native communities of cerambycids, and quarantine surveillance for newly introduced exotic species, would be optimized by including a variety of trap baits and distributing traps across vertical strata of forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky), is a destructive xylophagous forest pest species originating from Asia. Several endemic North American hymenopteran (Braconidae) species in the mid-Atlantic region were capable of attacking and reproducing on A. glabripennis larvae in laboratory bioassays. Ontsira mellipes Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) has been continually reared on A. glabripennis larvae at USDA-ARS BIIRU since 2010, and has been identified as a potential new-association biocontrol agent. Two experiments were conducted to investigate parasitism, paralysis, reproductive biology, larval development, and longevity of adult O. mellipes. In the first experiment, pairs of adult parasitoids were given single A. glabripennis larvae every 2 d (along with honey and water) over their lifetimes, while in the second experiment individual parasitoids were observed daily from egg to adult, and adults were subsequently starved. Adults in the first experiment parasitized ~21% of beetle larvae presented to them throughout their life, and paralysis of larvae occurred 1-2 d after oviposition. More than half of the individual pairs parasitized A. glabripennis larvae, with each female producing around 26 offspring throughout her life. In the second experiment, median development time of O. mellipes from egg to adult was about 3 wk, with five larval instars. Adult O. mellipes that were provided with host larvae, honey, and water lived 9 d longer than host-deprived and starved adults. These findings indicate that mass-rearing procedures for O. mellipes may be developed using the new association host for development of effective biocontrol programs against A. glabripennis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylotrechus arvicola (Olivier) is an emerging pest in vineyards (Vitis vinifera) in the Iberian Peninsula. Its reproductive biology has been studied in the laboratory in order to develop pest-control measures. Obtained results show that the oviposition period is significantly longer in wild females (16.6±2.9 d) than in laboratory females (9.7±1.3 d), but there are no significant differences in the egg-hatching periods between the wild and the laboratory females. Fecundity is significantly higher in laboratory females (93.9±12.1 eggs per female) than in wild females (56.8±9.2 eggs per female). On the other hand, viability (percentage of viable eggs per female) is significantly higher in wild females (53.7±6.6%) than in laboratory females (22.9±3.6%). Wild females lay fewer eggs over a longer period, while laboratory females concentrate on laying in the first 6 d. X. arvicola females (wild and laboratory) lay the highest number of eggs on the sixth day. The fecundity and viability of eggs are extended over a longer period in wild females than in laboratory females. So X. arvicola is a species in which larvae feed directly affects reproductive patterns. These results suggest that, when larvae feed directly from the natural host, the fecundity period and the viability of eggs increase. So the selection of a host plant could be influenced by the composition of the wood. This behavior of the species can also help to advance knowledge of the biology and ecology of this pest, to be applied in integrated control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have observed that trap captures of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) can be increased by treating the surface of intercept traps with a lubricant. In addition to being expensive, these treatments can alter the spectral properties of intercept traps when applied neat. These surface treatments, particularly Fluon, are commonly used diluted as a low friction coating to prevent insects from climbing out of rearing containers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of diluting Fluon on the spectral properties of treated corrugated plastic traps and the capture of longhorned beetles including Monochamus scutellatus (Say), Monochamus mutator (LeConte), and Monochamus notatus (Drury). Intercept panel traps were baited with attractant semiochemicals and treated with either undiluted (i.e., 100%) Fluon, a 1:1 mixture of Fluon and water (50%), a 1:9 mixture of Fluon and water (10%), or untreated. There were no obvious differences in the relative reflectance of untreated black Coroplast plastic or black Coroplast plastic treated with 50 or 10% Fluon. Traps treated with 100% Fluon had similar patterns of peak reflectance to the other treatments but overall had higher relative reflectance. In general, no effect of diluting the Fluon was observed for male or female M. scutellatus or M. mutator, but an effect of treating traps with Fluon was observed. Similar results were observed for the combined captures of Clytus ruricola Olivier, Cyrtophorus verrucosus Olivier, Megacyllene caryae (Gahan), Xylotrechus colonus (F.), Neoclytus acuminatus (F.), Neoclytus mucronatus (F.), and Phymatodes testaceus (L.). No treatment effect was observed for M. notatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky), is a polyphagous wood-boring insect native to Asia. Since it invaded North America in the 1990s, the beetle has been continuously targeted by quarantines and eradication programs in the United States and Canada. We examined the potential for development of new species-associations between A. glabripennis and hymenopteran parasitoids collected from cerambycids and other wood-boring insects infesting red maple (Acer rubrum L.) trees in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Results of our study showed that five groups of braconid parasitoids (Ontsira mellipes Ashmead, Rhoptrocentrus piceus Marsh, Spathius laflammei Provancher, Heterospilus spp., and Atanycolus spp.) successfully attacked early instars of A. glabripennis larvae infesting red maple logs and produced both male and female progenies. One species, O. mellipes, was continuously reared on A. glabripennis larvae inserted inside small red maple sticks for over 50 generations, and produced female-biased progeny (~6:1 female to male ratio) at each generation. Continuous rearing of O. mellipes on A. glabripennis larvae did not significantly increase the parasitism and mean number of progeny produced per parasitized host. Together, these findings demonstrate that some North American parasitoids may be able to develop new associations with A. glabripennis and thus should be further studied under semifield or field conditions for possible use in biocontrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two saproxylic forest insects, Hylurgus ligniperda (F.) (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) and Arhopalus ferus (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), were reared on artificial or natural diet at 15 or 25°C to compare larval growth rates and survival. A significant diet by temperature interaction was observed in the growth of H. ligniperda larvae, which developed faster when reared on natural diet at 15°C, but grew faster and pupated significantly earlier when reared on artificial diet at 25°C. However, H. ligniperda survival by the end of the experiment was low on both diets when reared at 25°C (10.1%, 95% CI: 5.2-15.1%), which suggests that rearing at lower temperatures may be required. A. ferus larvae gained significantly larger body size when reared on artificial diet than on natural diet at both temperatures. Survival of A. ferus reared on artificial diet was significantly lower than larvae reared on natural diet at 25°C. The significant differences between A. ferus larval development rates when reared on artificial and natural diets preclude the use of artificial diet to collect meaningful data to construct temperature development models for ecological comparisons. Artificial diet provided a suitable medium for mass production of individuals for research purposes, e.g., test mortality in response to treatments. However, additional rearing studies are needed to determine whether the larger artificially reared larvae result in adults that are healthier, more productive, and live longer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In north-central Georgia, 13 species of woodboring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) were attracted to multiple-funnel traps baited with ethanol and one of the following pheromones: (1) racemic 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one; (2) racemic 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one; and (3) syn-2,3-hexanediol. The following species were attracted to traps baited with ethanol and 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one: Anelaphus pumilus (Newman), Eburia quadrigeminata (Say), Euderces pini (Olivier), Knulliana cincta (Drury), Neoclytus mucronatus (F.), Neoclytus scutellaris (Olivier), and Xylotrechus colonus (F.). Clytus marginicollis Castelnau & Gory, and Anelaphus parallelus (Newman) were attracted to traps baited with ethanol and 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one, whereas traps baited with ethanol and syn-2,3-hexanediol were attractive to Anelaphus villosus (F.), A. parallelus, Neoclytus acuminatus (F.), Neoclytus jouteli jouteli Davis, and Megacyllene caryae (Gahan). Ethanol enhanced catches of seven cerambycid species in traps baited with syn-2,3-hexanediol and 3,2-hydroxyketones. Catches of bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in ethanol-baited traps were largely unaffected by the addition of syn-2,3-hexanediol and 3,2-hydroxyketone lures, except for two species. The mean catches of Hypothenemus rotundicollis Wood & Bright and Dryoxylon onoharaensum (Murayama) in ethanol-baited traps increased and decreased, respectively, with the addition of racemic 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one. Traps baited with ethanol and syn-2,3-hexanediol were attractive to Xylobiops basilaris (Say) (Bostrichidae) and Chariessa pilosa (Forster) (Cleridae), whereas Temnoscheila virescens (F.) (Trogossitidae) were attracted to traps baited with ethanol and 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one. The assassin bug, Apiomerus crassipes (F.) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), was attracted to traps baited with ethanol and 3,2-hydroxyketones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007-2008, we examined the flight responses of wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae and Buprestidae) to multiple-funnel traps baited with the pine volatiles, ethanol, and α-pinene [85% (-)], and the bark beetle pheromones, racemic ipsenol and racemic ipsdienol. Experiments were conducted in mature pine stands in Canada (Ontario and New Brunswick) and the United States (Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin). At each location, traps were deployed in 10 replicate blocks of four traps per block. The trap treatments were: 1) blank control; 2) ipsenol and ipsdienol; 3) ethanol and α-pinene; and 4) a quaternary blend of ipsenol, ipsdienol, ethanol, and α-pinene. Traps baited with the quaternary blend caught the greatest numbers of Acanthocinus nodosus (F.), Acanthocinus obsoletus (Olivier), Acmaeops proteus (Kirby), Astylopsis sexguttata (Say), Rhagium inquisitor (L.) (Cerambycidae), and Buprestis lineata (F.) (Buprestidae). Traps baited with ethanol and α-pinene caught the greatest numbers of Arhopalus rusticus (LeConte), Asemum striatum (L.), Tetropium spp., Xylotrechus sagittatus (Germar) (Cerambycidae), and Buprestis maculipennis Gory (Buprestidae) with minimal interruption by ipsenol and ipsdienol. Our results suggest that multiple-funnel traps baited with the quaternary lure blend of ipsenol, ipsdienol, ethanol, and α-pinene are effective for trapping various species of wood-boring beetles in pine forests of eastern North America, and may have utility in detection programs for adventive species in North America and overseas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attraction of cerambycid beetles to 10 known cerambycid pheromones was tested in a tropical montane rain forest in southern China. From 28 May to 25 June 2010, 1,526 cerambycids representing 71 species were captured in pheromone-baited traps, with 14 species accounting for 92% of the specimens. Test compounds with a 3-hydroxyalkan-2-one or 2,3-alkanediol motif attracted significant numbers of both sexes for eight species in the subfamily Cerambycinae, including species of Demonax, Rhaphuma, and Xylotrechus. Rhaphuma horsfieldi (White) was the only species that was strongly attracted to more than one test compound, with significant attraction to both (2R*,3R*)-2,3-hexanediol and (2R*,3R*)-2,3-octanediol. Within the Lamiinae, males and females of five species were significantly attracted to 2-(undecyloxy)ethanol, including Acalolepta formosana (Breuning), Monochamus bimaculatus Gahan, Pharsalia subgemmata (Thomson), Pseudomacrochenus antennatus (Gahan), and Xenohammus bimaculatus Schwarzer. Only male Megopis costipennis White (Prioninae) were significantly attracted to (2R*,3S*)-2,3-octanediol, suggesting that this compound may be a sex pheromone component for this species. To date, 2,3-octanediols have only been reported as aggregation pheromone components for cerambycids in the subfamily Cerambycinae. Our results support the hypothesis that both closely related (congeners) and more distantly related cerambycid species (different tribes and even subfamilies) may share pheromone components. Our results also demonstrate that traps baited with even a limited number of different classes of pheromones may be useful tools for surveying cerambycid diversity, as well as for detecting and monitoring particular species, especially those that have the potential to be invasive pests in other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glenea cantor (F.) is a cerambycid species that attacks living trees of at least seven plant families in Asia. and has the potential to become an invasive pest. Here we investigated its reproductive biology in the laboratory to provide vital information for the development of pest control measures and preparation of pest risk analysis. Both sexes required a period of maturation feeding before mating, with the mean premating period of males (5.87 ± 1.68 d) being significantly longer than that of females (4.59 ± 2.34 d). This was a synovigenic species with the mean preoviposition and oviposition period being 13.50 ± 3.15 d and 49.46 ± 16.16 d, respectively. If no food was available after emergence, adult males died before reaching sexual maturation and females vanished before oviposition. Paired couples mated an average of 15.12 ± 7.02 times; 28- to 53-d-old beetles mated significantly more frequently than younger and older ones. The mean fecundity was 133.24 ± 9.67 eggs. The oviposition rate significantly increased in the first 5 wk of the oviposition period, peaking when females were 40- to 54-d-old, and then significantly decreased in the following weeks. Reproductive activities occurred almost exclusively during the day, with most ovipositions taking place in the morning and matings in the afternoon with some overlaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted two field trapping experiments with multiple-funnel traps in 2008 and one experiment in 2010 to determine the effects of lure placement (inside or outside funnels) on catches of saproxylic species of beetles (Coleoptera). The experiments were conducted in southern pine (Pinus spp.) stands in central Georgia using combinations of ethanol, α-pinene, ipsenol, and ipsdienol lures. We report on a modification to the multiple-funnel trap that allows placement of large lures inside the confines of the funnels with minimal blockage. In general, catches of five species of common longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), two species of regeneration weevils (Curculionidae), four species of bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), and seven species of beetle predators and ectoparasites (Cleridae, Histeridae, Tenebrionidae, Trogossitidae, and Zopheridae) were higher in funnel traps with lures attached inside the funnels than in those with lures attached outside of the funnels. Catches of the remaining species were unaffected by lure placement. In no instance were catches of any species lower in funnel traps with lures attached inside the funnels than in those with lures attached outside of the funnels. For most species, catches in modified funnel traps with ethanol, a-pinene, ipsenol, and ipsdienol lures attached inside funnels were comparable with those in cross-vane panel traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report identification and field testing of 2-(undecyloxy)-ethanol (monochamol) as a sex-specific, aggregation pheromone component produced by males of Monochamus scutellatus scutellatus (Say) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a longhorned beetle native to North America. A congener, Monochamus notatus (Drury), which uses the same hosts as M. s. scutellatus, also was attracted to this compound in field trials, suggesting it may be a pheromone component for this species as well. Panel traps were deployed along transects at each of five field sites in May 2010 to test attraction of native beetle species to a suite of cerambycid pheromone components, including monochamol, 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, (2R*,3R*)-and (2R*, 3S*)-2,3-hexanediol, racemic (E/Z)-fuscumol, and (E/Z)-fuscumol acetate. In total, 209 adult M. s. scutellatus (136 females, 73 males) and 20 M. notatus (16 females, four males) were captured, of which 86 and 70%, respectively, were captured in traps baited with monoehamol (means significantly different). Analysis of headspace volatiles from adult M. s. scutellatus by coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection confirmed that monochamol was produced only by males. Monochamol was not found in headspace extracts from adult M. notatus. This study provides further evidence that monochamol is a pheromone component common to several species in the genus Monochamus. The pheromone component should prove useful for monitoring native species for management purposes or conservation efforts, and for quarantine monitoring for exotic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated attraction of cerambycid beetle species to blends of known cerambycid pheromones to determine whether such blends could be used as effective trap lures for detecting and monitoring multiple species simultaneously. Pheromone-baited traps captured 1,358 cerambycid beetles of which 1,101 (81.1%) belonged to three species in the subfamily Cerambycinae: Neoclytus acuminatus (F.), Neoclytus mucronatus (F.), and Xylotrechus colonus (F.). Beetles of these species were significantly attracted to synthetic blends that contained their pheromone components (isomers of 3-hydroxy-2-hexanone, 2,3-hexanediol, or both), despite the presence of pheromone components of different species, including other isomers of 2,3- hexanediol, (E/Z)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2- yl acetate, and citral. In some cases, attraction was partially inhibited by the pheromone components of heterospecific species, whereas for N. acuminatus, attraction was completely inhibited when blends contained (2R*,3S*)-hexanediol, the racemic mixture of diastereomers of its pheromone, (2S.3S)-hexanediol. Among the remaining beetles captured were three species in the subfamily Lamiinae: Astyleiopus variegatus (Haldeman), Graphisurus fasciatus (Degeer), and Lepturges angulatus (Le-Conte). All three lamiine species were previously known to be attracted to (E/Z)- 6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-yl acetate and were captured in significant numbers by blends containing that compound. Our results suggest that different types of cerambycid pheromones can be combined to create effective multispecies lures for use in surveillance programs that target exotic cerambycid species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood-boring beetles in the family Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) play important roles in many forest ecosystems. However, increasing numbers of invasive cerambycid species are transported to new countries by global commerce and threaten forest health in the United States and worldwide. Our goal was to identify effective detection tools for a broad array of cerambycid species by testing some known cerambycid attractants and a pheromone in different trap designs placed across a range of habitats. We compared numbers and species richness of cerambycid beetles captured with cross-vane panel traps and 12-unit Lindgren multiple-funnel traps, placed either at ground level (1.5 m high) or canopy level (≈ 3-10 m high), at eight sites classified as either residential, industrial, deciduous forest, or conifer forest. We captured 3,723 beetles representing 72 cerambycid species from 10 June to 15 July 2010. Species richness was highest for the subfamilies Cerambycinae and Lamiinae, which accounted for 33 and 46% of all species captured, respectively. Overall, the cross-vane panel traps captured ≈ 1.5 times more beetles than funnel traps. Twenty-one species were captured exclusively in traps at one height, either in the canopy or at ground level. More species were captured in hardwood sites (59 species) where a greater diversity of host material was available than in conifer (34 species), residential (41 species), or industrial (49) sites. Low numbers of beetles (n < 5) were recorded for 28 of the beetle species. The number of species captured per week ranged from 49 species on 21 June to 37 species on 12 July. Cross-vane panel traps installed across a vertical gradient should maximize the number of cerambycid species captured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No soybean cultivars exhibit resistance to larval damage by the cerambycid, Dectes texanus LeConte, in the United States. Selected soybean varieties and plant introductions (PIs) in maturity groups VI to VIII from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Soybean Germplasm Collection were evaluated for D. texanus resistance in a series of field and laboratory experiments from 2005 through 2008. In field cage experiments, the numbers of oviposition punctures (OPs) per plant were determined as indicators of oviposition antixenosis and the ratio of OPs per live D. texanus larvae (OP/Lv) served as an indicator of plant antibiosis to larvae. A D. texanus-susceptible variety treated with the systemic insecticide fipronil was used as a positive antibiosis control. Plant introduction PI165673 had the highest OP/Lv ratio, indicating that even if oviposition was successful, an antibiosis factor in PI165673 significantly reduced egg hatch and the resulting number of live D. texanus larvae. Factorial analyses indicated that maturity group is not a significant factor in the expression of resistance. Thus, PI165673 appears to be a potential source of resistance to D. texanus. In related field studies, the preferred D. texanus oviposition site was localized to leaf petioles in the upper four or five nodes of the plant canopy. Histomorphological analyses of petiole cross-sections of plant introductions PI171451, PI165676, and PI165673 indicated that leaf petiole morphology may be related to reduced D. texanus oviposition on petioles of PI171451 and PI165676, but that resistance in PI165673 is independent of petiole morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluon PTFE is a fluoropolymer dispersion applied as a surface conditioner to cross-vane panel traps to enhance trap efficiency for cerambycid beetles. We describe the results of three experiments to further optimize cerambycid traps of different designs and to test the effect of Fluon over time. We tested Fluon with Lindgren funnel and panel traps fitted with either wet or dry collection cups on catches of cerambycid beetles and how the effect of Fluon on panel traps persisted. Fluon-treated funnel traps with wet collection cups captured ≈ 6x more beetles than the untreated funnel traps with wet collection cups. Untreated funnel traps with dry collection cups did not capture any beetles; however, Fluon-treated funnel traps with dry collection cups captured an average of four beetles per trap. Fluon-treated panel traps with wet collection cups captured ≈9x more beetles than untreated panel traps with wet collection cups. Fluon-treated panel traps with dry collection cups captured ≈11x more beetles than untreated panel traps with dry collection cups. The effect of Fluon on capturing cerambycid beetles did not decline after use in one or two field seasons. There was no significant difference in the number of beetles captured in freshly treated panel traps compared with traps that had been used for 1 or 2 yr. Fluon-treated traps captured nine species that were not captured in untreated traps. Conditioning both Lindgren funnel and panel traps with Fluon enhances the efficacy and sensitivity of traps deployed to detect exotic cerambycid species, or for monitoring threatened species at low population densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2004, we evaluated the relative performance of 8-unit Lindgren multiple-funnel (funnel), Intercept panel (panel), and Colossus pipe (pipe) traps, baited with ethanol and α-pinene lures, in catching saproxylic beetles (Coleoptera) in pine stands in northern Florida and western South Carolina. Panel traps were as good as, if not better than, funnel and pipe traps for catching Ceram- bycidae. In particular, more Monochamus titillator (F.) were captured in panel traps than in pipe and funnel traps. Of three species of Buprestidae captured in our study, most Buprestis lineata F. were caught in panel traps, whereas most Acmaeodera tubulus (F.) were caught in funnel traps. Catches of Chalcophora virginiensis Drury and the root-feeding weevils Hylobius pales Herbst and Pachylobius picivorus LeConte (Curculionidae) were unaffected by trap type. Among bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), catches of Ips grandicoUis (Eichhoff) were unaffected by trap type, whereas most Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier) were caught in panel traps, most Hylastes salebrosus Eichhoff were caught in panel and pipe traps, and most Hylastes tenuis Eichhoffwere caught in funnel traps. Among ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), panel traps caught the most Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg), whereas pipe traps caught the most Xyleborus Eichhoff spp. More Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) and Dryoxylon onoharaensis (Murayama) were caught in panel and funnel traps than in pipe traps. Among bark beetle predators, more Platysoma Leach spp. (I-Iisteridae) were caught in pipe and panel traps than in funnel traps, whereas most Lasconotus Erichson spp. (Zopheridae) were caught in funnel traps. Variation among trap performance for various species suggests that managers should consider more than one type of trap in their detection programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The longhorn beetle Tetropium fuscum F. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) has become established in Nova Scotia, Canada, where it coexists with Tetropium cinnamopterum Kirby. The two Tetropium species share a similar ecological niche and use the same volatile cues for mate attraction. Exotic T. fuscum was introduced near Halifax, Nova Scotia, in ≈1990, but the rate of its spread 20 y later has not been documented. We report a large-scale, 3-yr study that investigates the distribution of T. fuscum relative to its site of introduction. Traps baited with male-produced pheromone and host volatiles were used to estimate the relative abundance of the two Tetropium species. Adult T. fuscum emerged 1-2 wk earlier than T. cinnamopterum each year between 2008 and 2010. The spatial distribution of T. fuscum was characterized by a sharp decline in abundance in relation to its point of introduction, up to a threshold distance of ≈80 km beyond which T. fuscum is rare in comparison with native T. cinnanurpterum. The restricted range of T.fuscum 20 yr after its introduction may be attributed to limited dispersal of adults or reproductive failures of low-density populations. The distribution of T. fuscum seemed stable between 2008 and 2010. In 1 of 3 yr, the abundance of T. cinnamopterum increased with the distance to the site of introduction of T. fuscum, which suggests competitive interactions between the two Tetropium species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2006, we examined the flight responses of 43 species of longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to multiple-funnel traps baited with binary lure blends of 1) ipsenol + ipsdienol, 2) ethanol + α-pinene, and a quaternary lure blend of 3) ipsenol + ipsdienol + ethanol + α-pinene in the southeastern United States. In addition, we monitored responses of Buprestidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae commonly associated with pine longhorn beetles. Field trials were conducted in mature pine (Pinus pp.) stands in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Virginia The following species preferred traps baited with the quaternary blend over those baited with ethanol + α-pinene: Acanthocinus nodosus (F.), Acanthocinus obsoletus (Olivier), Astylopsis arcuata (LeConte), Astylopsis sexguttata (Say), Monochamus scutellatus (Say), Monochamus titillator (F.) complex, Rhagium inquisitor (L.) (Cerambycidae), Buprestis consularis Gory, Buprestis lineata F. (Buprestidae), Ips avulsus (Eichhoff), Ips calligraphus (Germar), Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff), Orthotomicus caelatus (Eichhoff), and Gnathotrichus materiarus (Fitch) (Cureulionidae). The addition of ipsenol and ipsdienol had no effect on catches of 17 other species of bark and wood boring beetles in traps baited with ethanol and α-pinene. Ethanol + α-pinene interrupted the attraction of lps avulsus, I. grandicollis, and Pityophthorus Eichhoff spp. (but not I. calligraphus) (Curculionidae) to traps baited with ipsenol + ipsdienol. Our results support the use of traps baited with a quaternary blend of ipsenol + ipsdienol + ethanol + α-pinene for common saproxylic beetles in pine forests of the southeastern United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survey and detection programs for native and exotic forest insects frequently rely on traps baited with odorants, which mediate the orientation of target taxa (e.g., the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann) toward a resource (e.g., host material, mates). The influence of trap design on the capture efficiency of baited traps has received far less empirical attention than odorants, despite concerns that intercept traps currently used operationally have poor capture efficiencies for some target taxa (e.g., large woodborers). Several studies have recently demonstrated that treating traps with a surface lubricant to make them "slippery" can increase their capture efficiency; however, previously tested products can be expensive and their application time-consuming. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of alternate, easier to apply aerosol lubricants on trap capture efficiency of selected forest insects. Aerosol formulations of Teflon and silicone lubricants increased both panel and multiple-funnel trap capture efficiencies. Multiple-funnel traps treated with either aerosol lubricant captured significantly more Monochamus spp. and Acanthocinus obsoletus (Olivier) than untreated traps. Similarly, treated panel traps captured significantly more Xylotrechus sagittatus (Germar), Ips calligraphus (Germar), Pissodes nemorensis (Germar), Monochamus spp., A. obsoletus, Thanasimus dubius (F.), and Ibalia leucospoides (Hochenwarth) than untreated traps. This study demonstrates that treating multiple-funnel and panel traps with an aerosol dry film lubricant can increase their capture efficiencies for large woodborers (e.g., Cerambycidae) as well as bark beetles, a weevil, a woodwasp parasitoid and a bark beetle natural enemy (Coleoptera: Cleridae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]