Biology and Control of the Invasive Wood-Boring Beetles

A topical collection in Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This collection belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

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Editors


E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Department of Forest Entomology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Matsunosato 1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
Interests: pest management; chemical control; chemical ecology; invasive species; social insects; wood-boring beetles

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Collection Editor
Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection of National Research Council of Italy, P. le Enrico Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy
Interests: invasive organisms; biological control; molecular biology; systematics and phylogenetics; symbiotic bacteria
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Department of Forest Entomology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Matsunosato 1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
Interests: forest entomology; molecular ecology; wood-boring insects

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wood-boring beetles extend their distributional range every year, often invading regions significantly distant from their native habitats. These beetles can engender substantial threats to the invaded territories’ agricultural, forestry, and urban greening sectors. Understanding their biology and developing effective countermeasures is paramount in mitigating damage and impeding further proliferation. This Topical Collection aims to gather, from both native and introduced ranges, recent insights about the biology and control of each invasive wood-boring beetle. Emphasis is placed on topics such as ecology, physiology, and behavior; protective methodologies and strategic planning; early detection techniques; modeling; molecular ecology; and other pertinent datasets that hold promise in surmounting the emergent challenges within agriculture and forestry. This Topical Collection extends the former Special Issue in Insects entitled “Biology and Control of the Invasive Wood-Boring Beetles”, expanding its scope to all wood-boring beetles.

Dr. Eiriki Sunamura
Dr. Francesco Nugnes
Dr. Etsuko Shoda-Kagaya
Collection Editors

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Keywords

  • invasive species
  • wood-boring insects
  • biology
  • ecology
  • behavior
  • integrated pest management
  • chemical control
  • biological control
  • physical control
  • Cerambycidae
  • Buprestidae
  • Scolytidae

Published Papers (10 papers)

2024

Jump to: 2023, 2022, 2021

17 pages, 719 KiB  
Article
Copulation Duration and Sperm Precedence with Reference to Larval Diapause Induction in Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
by Katsumi Togashi and Hiroyuki Sugimoto
Insects 2024, 15(4), 255; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040255 - 08 Apr 2024
Viewed by 382
Abstract
Adults of the pine sawyer Monochamus alternatus are the primary vector of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causative agent of pine wilt disease. A sawyer subspecies in Taiwan (abbreviated ‘T’) has two generations a year (bivoltinism) due to facultative diapause, whereas another subspecies in [...] Read more.
Adults of the pine sawyer Monochamus alternatus are the primary vector of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causative agent of pine wilt disease. A sawyer subspecies in Taiwan (abbreviated ‘T’) has two generations a year (bivoltinism) due to facultative diapause, whereas another subspecies in Japan (abbreviated ‘J’) has a one- or two-year life cycle due to obligate diapause. T, with two infection periods a year, will cause more severe disease epidemics than J if it is introduced into Japan. Inter-subspecies hybridization may inhibit the expression of bivoltinism because many F1 hybrids induce diapause. To predict the effects of introducing T into Japan, the present study investigated copulation duration and late-male sperm precedence to fertilize eggs. The results indicated that a single copulation for more than 65 s supplied sufficient sperm to fertilize a lifetime production of eggs. The incidence of larval diapause was 0.15 for the offspring of T females that mated with a T male and increased to 0.292–0.333 after remating with a J male, while the incidence of larval diapause was 0.900–1.000 for hybrids from T females mated with a J male. Consequently, the estimated proportion of second-male sperm used by T females was 0.185–0.217. The effects of introducing T populations into Japan on the severity of disease epidemics were also discussed. Full article
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16 pages, 3200 KiB  
Article
Differential Dominance of Ecological Processes Shapes the Longhorn Beetle Community in Tropical Rainforests and Temperate Forests of Southwest China
by Fang Luo, Tial C. Ling, Jacob D. Wickham, Farkhanda Bibi and Ana Gouveia
Insects 2024, 15(3), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15030166 - 29 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1310
Abstract
(1) Background: Understanding the relationship between community assembly and species coexistence is key to understanding ecosystem diversity. Despite the importance of wood-boring longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in forests, factors affecting their population dynamics, species richness, and ecological interactions remain underexplored. (2) Methods: We surveyed [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Understanding the relationship between community assembly and species coexistence is key to understanding ecosystem diversity. Despite the importance of wood-boring longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in forests, factors affecting their population dynamics, species richness, and ecological interactions remain underexplored. (2) Methods: We surveyed cerambycid beetles and plants within five plots each across three transects in tropical rainforests and temperate forests of Yunnan, China, known for its rich biodiversity and varied elevation gradients. We explored a range of analytical tools, including α-diversity comparisons, distance-decay relationships, redundancy analysis, β-dissimilarity metrics, and various neutral community model analyses. (3) Results: The results revealed a stark contrast between the two forest types: the tropical rainforests hosted 212 Cerambycidae and 135 tree species, whereas the temperate forests had only 16 Cerambycidae and 18 tree species. This disparity was attributed to differences in environmental heterogeneity and dispersal limitations. In temperate forests, pronounced environmental variability leads to steeper distance-decay relationships and reduced α-diversity of Cerambycidae, implying stronger dispersal constraints and weaker plant–beetle associations. Conversely, the more homogenous tropical rainforests exhibited stochastic processes that enhanced Cerambycidae diversity and plant–beetle interactions. (4) Conclusions: Our findings underscore that environmental heterogeneity, dispersal limitations, and host-specificity are pivotal in shaping biodiversity patterns in Cerambycidae, with significant variations across climatic zones. Full article
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2023

Jump to: 2024, 2022, 2021

12 pages, 3405 KiB  
Article
The Optimal Choice of Trap Type for the Recently Spreading Jewel Beetle Pests Lamprodila festiva and Agrilus sinuatus (Coleoptera, Buprestidae)
by Eszter Matula, Gábor Bozsik, József Muskovits, Csenge Ruszák, Laura Jávorszky, Jochem Bonte, Márton Paulin, József Vuts, József Fail, Ágoston Tóth, Ádám Egri, Miklós Tóth and Zoltán Imrei
Insects 2023, 14(12), 961; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14120961 - 18 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1105
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Two jewel beetle species native to Europe, the cypress jewel beetle, Lamprodila (Palmar, Ovalisia) festiva L. (Buprestidae, Coleoptera), and the sinuate pear tree borer, Agrilus sinuatus Olivier (Buprestidae, Coleoptera), are key pests of ornamental thuja and junipers and of [...] Read more.
BACKGROUND: Two jewel beetle species native to Europe, the cypress jewel beetle, Lamprodila (Palmar, Ovalisia) festiva L. (Buprestidae, Coleoptera), and the sinuate pear tree borer, Agrilus sinuatus Olivier (Buprestidae, Coleoptera), are key pests of ornamental thuja and junipers and of orchard and ornamental rosaceous trees, respectively. Although chemical control measures are available, due to the beetles’ small size, agility, and cryptic lifestyle at the larval stage, efficient tools for their detection and monitoring are missing. Consequently, by the time emerging jewel beetle adults are noticed, the trees are typically significantly damaged. METHODS: Thus, the aim of this study was to initiate the development of monitoring traps. Transparent, light green, and purple sticky sheets and multifunnel traps were compared in field experiments in Hungary. RESULTS: Light green and transparent sticky traps caught more L. festiva and A. sinuatus jewel beetles than non-sticky multifunnel traps, regardless of the larger size of the colored surface of the funnel traps. CONCLUSIONS: Although light green sticky sheets turned out to be optimal for both species, using transparent sheets can reduce catches of non-target insects. The key to the effectiveness of sticky traps, despite their reduced suitability for quantitative comparisons, may lie in the behavioral responses of the beetles to the optical features of the traps. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2024, 2023, 2021

11 pages, 2589 KiB  
Article
Chemical Compounds Emitted from Mentha spicata Repel Aromia bungii Females
by Dandan Cao, Jianfeng Liu, Zhengping Zhao, Xuewu Yan, Weichao Wang and Jianrong Wei
Insects 2022, 13(3), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13030244 - 28 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2234
Abstract
Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an economically important wood-boring insect pest of stone fruit trees, particularly Prunus persica, in China. It has entered Japan and several European countries as an invasive species in recent years. It is difficult to control because of [...] Read more.
Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an economically important wood-boring insect pest of stone fruit trees, particularly Prunus persica, in China. It has entered Japan and several European countries as an invasive species in recent years. It is difficult to control because of the cryptic feeding behaviour of larvae beneath the bark. Identification of repellent constituents from non-host plants has potential for use in management strategies against this beetle. Mentha spicata is cultivated extensively in Hebei Province (China) as a medicinal plant. Firstly, antennal responses of female A. bungii to M. spicata volatiles were evaluated by coupled gas chromatography-electroantennograms (GC-EAD), and then the EAD-active components were tested in semi-field trials. The results showed that A. bungii females were significantly repelled by myrcene, (S)-(+)-carvone, (E)-β-caryophyllene, and borneol compared with the control. The presence of myrcene (100 µL; 90% purity), (S)-(+)-carvone (200 µL; 96% purity), (E)-β-caryophyllene (500 µL; 98.5% purity), and borneol (800 µL; 80% purity) significantly reduced the perching rates of A. bungii females on both peach logs and leaves. Considering cost and commercial availability, we suggest that myrcene, (S)-(+)-carvone, and (E)-β-caryophyllene could be promising repellents against A. bungii females in the field. Full article
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13 pages, 1834 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Prevalence of the Invasive Longhorn Beetle Aromia bungii in Osaka Prefecture, Japan
by Yuichi Yamamoto and Shuji Kaneko
Insects 2022, 13(3), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13030222 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1986
Abstract
A thorough understanding of the seasonal prevalence of invasive pests in newly invaded regions is key for establishing an appropriate and localized control plan for their successful eradication. In this study, we investigated the seasonal prevalence of the invasive longhorn beetle Aromia bungii [...] Read more.
A thorough understanding of the seasonal prevalence of invasive pests in newly invaded regions is key for establishing an appropriate and localized control plan for their successful eradication. In this study, we investigated the seasonal prevalence of the invasive longhorn beetle Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. We determined the number of adult beetles sighted on host trees more than once a week from late May or early June to late August for 3 years at three study sites (one site from 2019–2021 and two sites from 2020–2021). The appearance period of A. bungii adults spanned over 2 months (June–August), and peak sighting in the field occurred in late June; the adults were more abundant in the early phase of their seasonal prevalence (around the peak dates) and almost disappeared by August. The number of adult beetles emerging from A. bungii-infested trees at one study site was surveyed daily in 2021. This survey showed a short-span adult emergence period: Approximately 1 month from the first emergence day, supporting the idea of the concentration of adult abundance in the early phase. These results will help to establish a timely pest-control plan for A. bungii in Osaka Prefecture. Full article
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11 pages, 1521 KiB  
Article
Genetic Differences among Established Populations of Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Japan: Suggestion of Multiple Introductions
by Shigeaki Tamura and Etsuko Shoda-Kagaya
Insects 2022, 13(2), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13020217 - 21 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2705
Abstract
Aromia bungii (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an invasive pest, damaging Rosaceae trees (particularly Prunus) in Japan and Europe. The establishment of this beetle in Japan was first detected in 2012, and subsequently, it has rapidly expanded its distribution. Currently, Japanese populations of [...] Read more.
Aromia bungii (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an invasive pest, damaging Rosaceae trees (particularly Prunus) in Japan and Europe. The establishment of this beetle in Japan was first detected in 2012, and subsequently, it has rapidly expanded its distribution. Currently, Japanese populations of A. bungii are widely distributed in six non-contiguous regions. In this study, we compared the nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 of the populations in these six regions in Japan to examine whether multiple introductions or human-mediated long-distance dispersal have contributed to the non-contiguous distribution of A. bungii. Seven haplotypes were detected from Japanese populations, and one of these was identical to a sequence deposited from China. One to two haplotypes were detected in each region, suggesting a genetic bottleneck. Detected haplotypes differed between introduced regions, although two regions shared a single haplotype. These results suggest that multiple independent introductions of A. bungii have contributed to its non-contiguous distribution in Japan. Quarantine measures for wood-packing materials in trade need to be strengthened to prevent the establishment of further populations of A. bungii. Full article
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12 pages, 1791 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Ecological Traits and Boring Densities of Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Two Host Tree Species
by Tadahisa Urano, Hisatomo Taki and Etsuko Shoda-Kagaya
Insects 2022, 13(2), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13020151 - 30 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2385
Abstract
We investigated the ecological traits of emerging adults and the boring density in Aromia bungii-infested flowering cherry (Cerasus × yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’) and peach (Prunus persica) trees to evaluate their suitability as food resources for A. bungii, and their [...] Read more.
We investigated the ecological traits of emerging adults and the boring density in Aromia bungii-infested flowering cherry (Cerasus × yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’) and peach (Prunus persica) trees to evaluate their suitability as food resources for A. bungii, and their vulnerability to infestation. The number of adults per m3 that emerged from P. persica was 10-times larger than from C. × yedoensis, and the numbers of emergence holes, entrance holes, and pupal chambers were also larger in P. persica logs. The lifetime fecundity of adults that emerged from P. persica was also higher. Elytral length, sex ratios, and adult lifespans did not differ between the two host trees. Our results indicate that peach trees provide more suitable conditions than do flowering cherry trees for A. bungii larvae. Although flowering cherry trees, primarily C. × yedoensis, which are currently grown as street or ornamental trees in Japan, have been more severely affected by A. bungii to date, the greater risk in the long term is to P. persica, an agricultural species in the main producing areas surrounding the Kanto region. Full article
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20 pages, 4777 KiB  
Article
Identification and Expression Profile of Chemosensory Receptor Genes in Aromia bungii (Faldermann) Antennal Transcriptome
by Zhenchen Wu, Jia Ye, Jiali Qian, Endang Rinawati Purba, Qinghe Zhang, Longwa Zhang and Dingze Mang
Insects 2022, 13(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13010096 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1986
Abstract
The red-necked longicorn beetle, Aromia bungii (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is a major destructive, wood-boring pest, which is widespread throughout the world. The sex pheromone of A. bungii was reported earlier; however, the chemosensory mechanism of the beetle remains almost unknown. In this study, [...] Read more.
The red-necked longicorn beetle, Aromia bungii (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is a major destructive, wood-boring pest, which is widespread throughout the world. The sex pheromone of A. bungii was reported earlier; however, the chemosensory mechanism of the beetle remains almost unknown. In this study, 45 AbunORs, 6 AbunGRs and 2 AbunIRs were identified among 42,197 unigenes derived from the antennal transcriptome bioinformatic analysis of A. bungii adults. The sequence of putative Orco (AbunOR25) found in this study is highly conserved with the known Orcos from other Coleoptera species, and these Orco genes might be potentially used as target genes for the future development of novel and effective control strategies. Tissue expression analysis showed that 29 AbunOR genes were highly expressed in antennae, especially in the antennae of females, which was consistent with the idea that females might express more pheromone receptors for sensing pheromones, especially the sex pheromones produced by males. AbunOR5, 29, 31 and 37 were clustered with the pheromone receptors of the cerambycid Megacyllene caryae, suggesting that they might be putative pheromone receptors of A. bungii. All six AbunGRs were highly expressed in the mouthparts, indicating that these GRs may be involved in the taste perception process. Both AbunIRs were shown to be female-mouthparts-biased, suggesting that they might also be related to the tasting processes. Our study provides some basic information towards a deeper understanding of the chemosensing mechanism of A. bungii at a molecular level. Full article
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16 pages, 2208 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of Trees Infested by the Invasive Primary Wood-Borer Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
by Yuichi Yamamoto, Yosuke Ishikawa and Kazuhiko Uehara
Insects 2022, 13(1), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13010054 - 04 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2393
Abstract
The expanding distribution and tree damage of the invasive, primary wood-borer Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), which kills trees of the Rosaceae family, is a problem in intruded areas. However, the tree characteristics associated with infestation by A. bungii, which are useful for [...] Read more.
The expanding distribution and tree damage of the invasive, primary wood-borer Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), which kills trees of the Rosaceae family, is a problem in intruded areas. However, the tree characteristics associated with infestation by A. bungii, which are useful for early detection or prioritizing preventive measures, are not well examined. We investigated the presence or absence of tree damage (response variable) in pre- and post- surveys along with tree characteristics (four explanatory variables; bark roughness, size, species, and vigor) on monitoring trees in uninvaded sites (survey for the first trees to be damaged) and already invaded sites (survey for the next trees to be damaged). We evaluated the variables using generalized linear mixed models for each site (i.e., a first trees model and a next trees model). Three tree characteristics (bark roughness, size, and vigor) were included as explanatory variables in both best models, indicating that trees with rough surface bark, large in size, and weakened conditions were more susceptible to A. bungii infestation. The reasons for the difference between the two models (species was only chosen in the next trees model) will be considered in our future work. Full article
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2021

Jump to: 2024, 2023, 2022

14 pages, 1573 KiB  
Article
Efficacy of Two Neonicotinoid Insecticides against Invasive Wood Borer Aromia bungii Larvae in Dietary Toxicity Test
by Eiriki Sunamura, Shigeaki Tamura, Hisatomo Taki, Hiroki Sato, Etsuko Shoda-Kagaya and Tadahisa Urano
Insects 2021, 12(7), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12070592 - 29 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2636
Abstract
In recent years, insecticide trunk injection was put into practical use for controlling wood boring pests. However, few studies have investigated the dose–response relationships between insecticides and wood–boring pests in detail. This study used two commercial formulations of the neonicotinoid insecticides thiamethoxam and [...] Read more.
In recent years, insecticide trunk injection was put into practical use for controlling wood boring pests. However, few studies have investigated the dose–response relationships between insecticides and wood–boring pests in detail. This study used two commercial formulations of the neonicotinoid insecticides thiamethoxam and dinotefuran and investigated their dose–response relationships with invasive wood borer Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae. Neonates and late instar larvae were reared with an artificial diet containing different insecticide concentrations (0.01–100 ppm) in the laboratory, and their diet excavation activity, survival rate, and weight change were recorded. Diet excavation immediately dropped in larvae exposed to high concentrations of thiamethoxam or dinotefuran (≥1 ppm in neonates and ≥10 ppm in late instar larvae). The weight and survival rate gradually declined over 12 weeks in late instar larvae. These results suggest that the two neonicotinoids intoxicate and debilitate A. bungii larvae gradually to death. In practical use, rapid suppression of A. bungii wood boring damage can be expected by trunk injection of neonicotinoid insecticides. However, a relatively long-term retention of the insecticides may be required to kill large larvae. Neonates may be controlled with lower insecticide dosage and shorter exposure than larger larvae. Full article
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