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Feeding behaviour of the black pine beetle, Hylastes ater (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)
Author(s) -
Leahy Miles J. A.,
Oliver Thomas H.,
Leather Simon R.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
agricultural and forest entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.755
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1461-9563
pISSN - 1461-9555
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-9563.2007.00328.x
Subject(s) - biology , pinus radiata , botany , pheromone , radiata , betula pendula , pest analysis , bark beetle , pinus <genus> , horticulture , curculionidae , vigna
1 The feeding behaviour of Hylastes ater was investigated at 15 °C and 20 °C on a range of tree species. The role of an aggregation pheromone and the part played by olfactory cues in food selection was also investigated. 2 A distinct hierarchical preference at both 15 °C and 20 °C such that Pinus radiata > Pinus sylvestris > > Picea abies > > Rubus fruticosus = Betula pendula was shown. 3 Feeding on P. sylvestris led to the highest weight gain, closely followed by P. radiata and P. abies . Slightly elevated feeding was observed at 20 °C compared with 15 °C. 4 Reduced feeding in the presence of B. pendula suggests the possibility of an antifeedant effect and predamaged wood was found to be less nutritious, possibly due to greater plant defences. 5 The role of an aggregation pheromone was not supported. Olfactory cues enabled the detection of woody hosts, although differentiation between host was not observed. 6 These results are likely to be important in helping to design an effective integrated control approach against this pest.