Suitability of four palm species for the development of the invasive pest B rontispa longissima ( C oleoptera: C hrysomelidae) in the field

The coconut hispine beetle B rontispa longissima ( G estro) supposedly originated in I ndonesia and P apua N ew G uinea. It is a serious invasive pest of the coconut palm C ocos nucifera   L . in S outheast and E ast A sia. In J apan, it has established itself using S atakentia liukiuensis ( H atushima) H . E . M oore as a main host on I shigaki and I riomote I slands where C . nucifera is rare. To assess the probability of further establishment of B . longissima in novel habitats where C . nucifera and S . liukiuensis are not available, we examined the suitability of four common palm species in J apan for oviposition and immature development of B . longissima : C hrysalidocarpus lutescens ( B ory) H . W endl., P hoenix roebelenii   O ' B rien, S . liukiuensis and W ashingtonia filifera ( L inden ex A ndré) H . W endl. When seedlings of the four palm species were placed in pots in an experimental field on I shigaki I sland, all four species were inhabited and infested by wild B . longissima adults. Oviposition and immature development were observed on P . roebelenii and S . liukiuensis but not on C . lutescens and W . filifera . When field‐collected adults were released into mesh bags enclosing the potted seedlings, they oviposited on all four species. The eggs developed into adults on P . roebelenii , S . liukiuensis and W . filifera . On C . lutescens , however, hatched larvae died during the first or second instar.