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Steven J. Seybold

Former Employee
Pacific Southwest Research Station
Ecosystem Function and Health Program
1731 Research Park Drive
Davis, CA 95618
United States
Current Research
Seybold is a research entomologist who specializes in the study of bark and wood-boring beetles. He and his colleagues are characterizing the invasive bark beetle and woodborer fauna of California and other Western U.S. States. The discoveries and descriptions of the life histories and behaviors of these insects are an important first step to understanding their pest status in U.S. forests. Seybold and colleagues also were the first to isolate specific genes from bark beetles that the insects use to detoxify defense chemicals released by trees under attack. The isolation of these genes provides a site for the next generation of bark beetle control tools.
Research Interest
In the future, Seybold plans to explore issues of drought and bark beetle-caused tree mortality, bark beetle and woodborer invasions of California's national forests, and new threats to native oaks and walnuts.
Professional Organizations
  • Member,  Entomological Society of America,  Current
  • Member,  Entomological Society of Canada,  Current
  • Member,  International Society of Chemical Ecology,  Current
Patents
Other Publications

  • Wingnut trees at risk to thousand cankers disease

    Year: 2017
    The walnut twig beetle vectors a fungus that colonizes and kills the plant tissure known as phloem of walnut and butternut trees. Over the past two decades this condition, known as thousand cankers disease, has led to the widespread mortality of walnut trees (Juglans) in the U.S.. Recently the beetle and pathogen were discovered in three species of wingnut (Pterocarya) trees in the walnut family, in northern and southern California.

  • Delimiting the invaded range of the goldspotted oak borer, a threat to red oaks in California and Oregon

    Year: 2014
    The goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus auroguttatus, traveled in infested firewood from southeastern Arizona into southern California where it is killing coast live oak and California black oak trees. Forest Service staff members and partners developed a trapping system used it to monitor the insect's range. The survey showed that the pest is limited to Riverside and San Diego counties.

  • Scientists Develop Successful Lure to Attrack Beetle That Causes Thousand Cankers Disease in Walnut Trees

    Year: 2013
    In response to the threat posed by the walnut twig beetle, which spreads thousand cankers disease in walnut trees, the Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station developed a highly effective lure for the beetle. This synthetic form of a pheromone created by the male beetles will allow for much faster detection and mapping of this invasive insect, which has expanded its known distribution from four U.S. counties in 1960 to 100 counties by September 2013.

  • Monitoring Tool for the Insect Vector of Thousand Cankers Disease of Walnut

    Year: 2011
    A newly discovered pheromone can be used to detect the insect vector of thousand cankers disease of walnut. Intermediate and low population density populations can be found enabling early detection and rapid response to this destructive walnut pest complex.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/about/people/sseybold