Environmental Entomology (2009) 38, 1197-1204

Guillermo Sánchez-Martínez and Michael R. Wagner (2009)
Host preference and attack pattern of Dendroctonus rhizophagus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) : A bark beetle specialist on pine regeneration
Environmental Entomology 38 (4), 1197-1204
Abstract: Pine seedlings and saplings are seldom attacked by bark beetles of the genus Dendroctonus. However, Dendroctonus rhizophagus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Thomas and Bright specifically attacks pine seedlings and causes conspicuous mortality in naturally regenerated stands in the Sierra Madre Occidental, northern Mexico. We evaluated the host preference and attack of D. rhizophagus under field conditions. We tried to establish any relationship between tree growth or host size and the number of attacking beetles. Generally, only one pair of beetles attacked each of the seedlings regardless of host size; however, a significant positive linear relationship between host size and adult brood size was observed. We found that this species preferred the best growing seedlings in our study sites.
(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): Michael R. Wagner

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.
	Dendroctonus rhizophagus	Pine (Pinus)	Mexico