Journal of Applied Entomology (2021) 145, 508-517

Lei Gao, You Li, Zhang-Xun Wang, Jie Zhao, Jiri Hulcr, Jian-Guo Wang, Yue-Zhong Li and Rui-Ting Ju (2021)
Biology and associated fungi of an emerging bark beetle pest, the sweetgum inscriber Acanthotomicus suncei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Journal of Applied Entomology 145 (6), 508-517
Abstract: The sweetgum inscriber (SI) Acanthotomicus suncei Cognato is an emerging bark beetle pest that seriously damages American sweetgum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua) and Chinese sweetgum trees (L. formosana) in China. Since 2013, SI has killed more than 30,000 sweetgum trees in Shanghai and adjacent areas. In Shanghai, SI was observed to emerge from infested wood between April–September and exhibited two generations per year. Both the flying populations and those in colonized logs were female-biased. After the parental adult initiates a gallery, the emergence of new adults required 73.4 ± 0.7 days at 30°C and 163.5 ± 0.9 days at 20°C. SI could not sustain population development at constant temperatures < 15°C. The fungi Geosmithia spp. and Phaeoacremonium tuscanum were common associates of SI. The results suggest that SI has a long flight period, and its development is sensitive to low temperatures. Fungi associated with SI were not pathogenic to American sweetgum trees, but their presence may indirectly increase the probability of tree mortality. Our findings contribute to the prevention and control of this important emerging bark beetle pest.
(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): Jiri Hulcr

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phaeoacremonium tuscanum	Liquidambar (genus)	China (south)
	Phaeoacremonium tuscanum	Liquidambar (genus)	China (NE)
	Acanthotomicus suncei	Liquidambar (genus)	China (south)
	Acanthotomicus suncei	Liquidambar (genus)	China (NE)