Journal of Chemical Ecology (2001) 27, 1091-1104

D.M. Suckling, A.R. Gibb, J.M. Daly, X. Chen and E.G. Brockerhoff (2001)
Behavioral and electrophysiological responses of Arhopalus tristis to burnt pine and other stimuli
Journal of Chemical Ecology 27 (6), 1091-1104
Abstract: The exotic longhorn beetle Arhopalus tristisis a pest of pines, particularly those damaged by fire, and a major export quarantine issue in New Zealand. Actinograph recordings of caged individuals showed that males and females were most active from dusk to midnight. Olfactometer experiments indicated that females moved upwind toward odors from burnt pine (80%, N= 75), compared to unburnt pine (20%). Oviposition choice tests showed that eggs were predominantly laid on burnt logs (79%, N= 20), compared to unburnt logs. Beetles were trapped by funnel traps baited with burnt (mean catch per trap 7.8) and unburnt (mean catch 4.1 per trap) pine bark from inside a screen cage (4 × 3 m), while unbaited traps had a mean catch 0.1 beetles (N= 8 replicates). The treatment of burnt pine bark with a 1:1:2 mixture of green leaf volatiles (E)-2-hexen-1-ol and (E)-2-hexenal) in mineral oil as a repellent reduced trap catch by fivefold in a similar experiment (mean catches of 1.2 beetles per trap to burnt pine bark plus repellent treatment and 6.2 beetles per trap to burnt pine bark alone). The treatment of burnt pine bark with this solution also reduced oviposition by 98.5% (mean eggs per log of 11.1 on burnt pine and 0.3 on burnt pine plus repellent), indicating that oviposition cues have the potential to be significantly disrupted. The electrophysiological responses of adult beetles were recorded to a range of odorants. Normalized responses to monoterpenes known to occur in Pinus radiataranged from about 20 to about 150, with alpha-terpineol giving the greatest responses in both sexes. Green leaf volatiles also gave high responses. The potential exists to improve the management of this insect using chemical cues in various ways.
(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): David Maxwell Suckling, Andrew R. Gibb

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
pheromones/attractants/traps

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Arhopalus tristis	Pine (Pinus)	New Zealand