Abstract
The white pine cone beetle,
Conophthorus coniperda, exhibited dose and enantiospecific responses to a-pinene in stands of mature eastern white pine,
Pinus strobus, in a seed orchard near Murphy, North Carolina, USA. (-)-
a-Pinene significantly increased catches of cone beetles to traps baited with (±)-
trans-pityol. (+)-
a-Pinene did not increase catches of beetles to pityol-baited traps and interrupted the response of beetles to traps baited with (±)-
trans-pityol and (-)-
a-pinene. Maximal attraction of cone beetles to pityol-baited traps was obtained with lures releasing (-)-
a-pinene at a rate of 103 mg/day at 23°C. Lures releasing (-)-
a-pinene at rates lower or higher than 103 mg/day resulted in reduced catches to traps baited with (±)-
trans-pityol. The sex ratio in all catches was heavily male biased. Attraction of the clerid predator,
Thanasimus dubius, to traps baited with (±)-
trans-pityol increased significantly with the presence of
a-pinene, irrespective of enantiomeric composition. Maximal attraction of
T. dubius to pityol-baited traps occurred with devices releasing (-)-
a-pinene at the highest rate tested, 579 mg/d at 23°C a sub optimal rate for cone beetles.
Keywords
Scolytidae,
Conophthorus coniperda,
kairomones,
enantiospecificity,
a-pinene,
chirality,
Cleridae,
Thanasimus dubius
Citation
Miller, Daniel R.; Crowe, Christopher M.; Asaro, Christopher; DeBarr, Gary L. 2003. Dose and Enantiospecific Responses of White Pine Cone Beetles, Conophthorus coniperda, to a-Pinene in an Eastern White Pine Seed Orchard. Journal of Chemical Ecology, Vol. 29, No. 2, February 2003
