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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Poplarville, Mississippi » Southern Horticultural Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314422

Title: Seasonal and spatial dispersal patterns of ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: curculionidae) from forest habitats into production nurseries

Author
item Werle, Christopher
item CHONG, JUANG-HORNG - Clemson University
item Sampson, Blair
item Reding, Michael - Mike
item Adamczyk, John

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/29/2015
Publication Date: 7/1/2015
Citation: Werle, C.T., Chong, J., Sampson, B.J., Reding, M.E., Adamczyk Jr, J.J. 2015. Seasonal and spatial dispersal patterns of ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: curculionidae) from forest habitats into production nurseries. Florida Entomologist. 98: 884-891.

Interpretive Summary: Ambrosia beetles are important pests of tree nurseries. There are few data to show how far ambrosia beetles will fly to infest new host trees, or whether a mass trapping strategy can adequately protect a nursery crop. Field monitoring in Mississippi and Louisiana verified a spring peak, as well as a second, late-summer flight. Captures from traps placed at eight different distances from the forest/nursery interface showed a density-decay effect with increasing distance from the forest. Traps placed at the edge may represent the optimal position for both monitoring and mass-trapping programs. Susceptible tree cultivars may gain additional protection by being located within nursery interiors, particularly when maintaining a row of baited traps along the nursery edge.

Technical Abstract: Exotic ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are important pests of tree nurseries. While they are known to migrate in early spring from peripheral forested areas into nurseries, there are few data to show how far ambrosia beetles will fly to infest new host trees, or whether a mass trapping strategy can adequately protect a nursery crop. From 2013-14, field monitoring with ethanol baits in Mississippi and Louisiana determined the timing of peak ambrosia beetle flights, dispersal distance, and optimal trap location. In addition to the well-documented spring peak, southeastern nursery managers need to be aware of a second, late-summer flight. Captures from traps placed at eight different distances from the forest/nursery interface (-25, -13, 0, 13, 25, 50, 100 and 200 m) were significantly different, with a density-decay effect observed with increasing distance from the forest. While captures at the nursery edge were significantly lower than within the forest, edge traps may still represent the optimal position for both monitoring and mass-trapping programs due to ease of access. Susceptible tree cultivars may gain additional protection by being located within nursery interiors, particularly when maintaining a row of baited traps along the nursery edge.