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VISUAL AND SEMIOCHEMICAL DISRUPTION OF HOST FINDING IN THE SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE
Author(s) -
Strom B. L.,
Roton L. M.,
Goyer R. A.,
Meeker J. R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
ecological applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.864
H-Index - 213
eISSN - 1939-5582
pISSN - 1051-0761
DOI - 10.1890/1051-0761(1999)009[1028:vasdoh]2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - semiochemical , biology , pheromone , zoology , host (biology) , curculionidae , toxicology , horticulture , ecology , botany
The importance of visual silhouettes for host finding by the southern pine beetle (SPB), Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), and the potential for disruption of this process using visual deterrents were evaluated with multiple‐funnel traps, painted white or black, and with clear, white, or black Plexiglas sticky panels. All traps and panels were baited with the SPB attractant frontalure. The effect of combined semiochemical and visual disruption was evaluated in funnel traps by including the antiaggregation pheromone verbenone, or the repellent/inhibitory host compound 4‐allylanisole, in addition to the attractant. Visual treatments had a highly significant effect on catch of SPB and the predatory clerid beetle Thanasimus dubius . In attractant‐baited traps, white paint alone reduced the average number of SPB caught by 72% in Florida and 68% in Louisiana. The repellent 4‐allylanisole reduced catch of SPB by 56% in Florida and 45% in Louisiana. Verbenone was eluted at 25% of the targeted rate and did not affect total catch in either place. White panels trapped 79% fewer SPB than black, and 55% fewer than clear, with both differences significant. Clear panels also caught significantly fewer (−54%) SPB than black panels. Capture of T. dubius was reduced significantly by clear (−61%) or white (−56%) panels compared to black but did not differ significantly between clear and white panels. The percentage of female SPB captured was not significantly changed by visual treatments but was, as expected, reduced by verbenone. Neither visual nor semiochemical treatments influenced the sex ratio of T. dubius. The potential for using visual disruptants for protection of trees was assessed in front of a single SPB infestation by painting trees either white or black to 4.5 m. White trees showed fewer landings by SPB and a reduced density of successful and total SPB attacks within, but not above, the painted area. These results show that both SPB and T. dubius can be significantly affected by altering visual silhouettes, and that visual and semiochemical treatments, especially used in combination, may increase effectiveness of bark beetle disruption strategies.