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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Newark, Delaware » Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #432050
Research Project: Physiology, Behavior, Ecology, and Genetics of Invasive Pest Insects and Candidates for their Biological Control

Location: Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit

Title: Temperature-dependent response of diapause termination in emerald ash borer: Implications for geographic distribution limit

Author
item Duan, Jian
item PETRICE, TOBY - Us Forest Service (FS)
item Schmude, Jonathan
item Hagerty, Tyler

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2026
Publication Date: 6/11/2026
Citation: Duan, J.J., Petrice, T., Schmude, J.M., Hagerty, T.J. 2026. Temperature-dependent response of diapause termination in emerald ash borer: Implications for geographic distribution limit. Journal of Economic Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toag167.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toag167

Interpretive Summary: The emerald ash borer (EAB) is the most destructive invasive pest of North American ash trees in the U.S. EAB larvae are dormant in the fall and winter and take one to two years to complete a generation in the field, depending on the geographic range in the U.S. The beetle’s dormancy and extended life cycle present challenges to laboratory rearing and effective management. We determined the optimal conditions (chill temperatures) needed to terminate the dormancy of EAB larvae. This information will improve both the continuous production of this beetle for research and the production of introduced biocontrol agents.

Technical Abstract: The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), native to Northeast Asia, is the most destructive invasive ash (Fraxinus spp.) pest in North America. In the present study, we exposed mature 4th instars (J-shaped larvae, JL) of the emerald ash borer to a series of nine temperatures from 1.7 to 23.9oC for 90 days, and then evaluated their diapause termination responses in terms of the probability and time of post-chill development to adults under warm rearing conditions (27 ± 0.5oC, 16:8 h L:D). In addition, we determined the effect of chill temperatures on the mortality of the diapausing EAB larvae. Results showed that EAB larvae (JL) were able to complete diapause when exposed to temperatures between 7.2 to 15.6 °C for 90 days and the time of post diapause development to adults (i.e., adult emergence) differed significantly among chill treatments with the number of days required for adults to emerge generally increasing with increasing chill temperature. In addition, the mortality rate for the EAB larvae that died at JL stages before completing diapause development to adults was lower (0 - 7.1%) for the temperature range 1.7 – 12.8oC than that (16 – 32.6%) for the higher temperature range 15.3 – 23.9 oC. These findings help us understand the limit of climatic conditions for EAB diapause termination in different geographic ranges.