To the ends of the word: trapping and hunting sown Mediterranean pine bark beetles in five continents

AVTZIS, DIMITRIOS; FACCOLI, MASSIMO; GALLEGO, DIEGO; BRANCO, MANUELA; BROCKERHOFF, ECKEHARD G.; CORLEY, JUAN; COYLE, DAVID R.; HURLEY, BRETT P.; JACTEL, HERVÉ; LAKATOS, FERENC; LANTSCHNER, MARÍA VICTORIA; LAWSON, SIMON; MARTINEZ, GONZALO; GÓMEZ, DEMIAN F.

Congreso; IUFRO Global challenges and innovative management of bark and wood borers in planted forests?; 2023

There are several European and Mediterranean pine bark beetle species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) that over the decades have invaded and become established in North America and the Southern hemisphere, something that poses a novel threat to both the pine plantations and natural forests. To assess the occurrence and relative abundance of pine bark beetles in these regions but also to compare the trapping performance of different blends of multispecies lures, a broad network of interception traps was established in five continents. Traps were installed in six non- European countries (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States, and Uruguay), and in six European countries (France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Spain). In each country, half of the traps were baited with alpha- pinene and ethanol, and the other half with alpha- pinene, ethanol, and a combination of bark beetle pheromones (ipsdienol, ipsenol, and Z-verbenol). After the sampling that took place in 2016-2017, five Mediterranean scolytine species (Hylurgus ligniperda, Hylastes ater, H. angustatus, angu Orthotomicus erosus and O. laricis) were found in non-European countries. Hylurgus ligniperda and Hylastes ater were the most widespread species found in several of the invaded regions, whereas Orthotomicus laricis and Hylastes angustatus were trapped only in Argentina and South Africa, Africa, respectively. Regarding the performance of the different blends and despite the large variation among species and countries, most bark beetle species were attracted to the blend that was enhanced with bark beetle pheromones, apart from Orthotomicus erosus that was more attracted to the blend containing only alpha-pinene and ethanol. This study constitutes the first step towards the development of an international multi-lure monitoring protocol for the survey and early- interception of invasive alien bark beetle species.