Spatial displacement of a lure component can reduce catches of two nontarget species during spring monitoring of southern pine beetle
| Authors: | William P Shepherd, Brian T Sullivan |
| Year: | 2017 |
| Type: | Scientific Journal |
| Station: | Southern Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iex106 |
| Source: | Journal of Insect Science |
Abstract
Local outbreak risk for the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann (Coleoptera: Curculionidae),is forecast with a trapping survey conducted every spring throughout the southeastern United States. Traps baited
with pine odors and components of the D. frontalis aggregation pheromone are used to obtain abundance estimates
of both this species and its clerid predator Thanasimus dubius (F.) (Coleoptera: Cleridae); these data are entered
into a predictive model that estimates outbreak risk. An attractant synergist for D. frontalis, endo-brevicomin, has
recently been included in the survey lure, but it can have the unintended effect of attracting nontarget species
Hylesinus pruinosus Eichhoff (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and Enoclerus nigripes (Say) (Coleoptera:
Cleridae) which, due to their sometimes large numbers and general similarity in appearance to the target species,
could complicate sorting and counting of trap catches. Analysis of bycatch data from a previously-published, 31-mo
trapping study in Mississippi indicated that displacement of the endo-brevicomin releaser 6 m from the trap largely
eliminated catches of the nontarget species H. pruinosus and E. nigripes while not reducing catches of the target
species D. frontalis and T. dubius. Our analysis demonstrates that interspecific differences in spatial responses
to attractive semiochemicals can be used to improve insect trap selectivity. Both nontarget beetle species were
captured in highest numbers during late winter/early spring, coinciding with the D. frontalis survey.