Agricultural and Forest Entomology (2013) 15, 227-235

Albert E. Mayfield III, Martin MacKenzie, Philip G. Cannon, Steven W. Oak, Scott Horn, Jaesoon Hwang and Paul E. Kendra (2013)
Suitability of California bay laurel and other species as hosts for the non-native redbay ambrosia beetle and granulate ambrosia beetle
Agricultural and Forest Entomology 15 (3), 227-235
Abstract: The redbay ambrosia beetle Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff is a non-native vector of the pathogen that causes laurel wilt, a deadly disease of trees in the family Lauraceae in the southeastern U.S.A.
Concern exists that X. glabratus and its fungal symbiont could be transported to the western U.S.A. and cause damage to California bay laurel Umbellularia californica (Hook. and Arn.) Nutt. in California and Washington.
The present study evaluated in-flight attraction, attack density and emergence of X. glabratus and another invasive ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) on cut bolts of California bay laurel and eight related tree species in an infested forest in South Carolina. Xylosandrus crassiusculus is not a vector of the laurel wilt pathogen but is a pest of nursery and ornamental trees.
Mean catch of X. glabratus on California bay laurel bolts was not significantly different from catches on bolts of known X. glabratus hosts sassafras Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees and swampbay Persea palustris (Raf.) Sarg. Mean attack density and adult emergence of both beetle species from California bay laurel was equal to or greater than all other tree species tested. Both beetle species readily produced brood in California bay laurel bolts.
The results obtained in the present study suggest that California bay laurel may be negatively impacted by both of these invasive ambrosia beetles if they become established in the tree's native range.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Albert E. Mayfield, Paul E. Kendra, Scott Horn

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Xylosandrus crassiusculus		U.S.A. (SE)
	Xyleborus glabratus	Sassafras (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Xyleborus glabratus	Umbellularia californica (crop)
	Xyleborus glabratus	Persea (genus)