Repression of Spruce Beetle (Coleoptera) Attraction by Methylcyclohexenone in Idaho

Abstract

Attraction of the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), to beetle-infested logs was reduced 99% by addition of 3-methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one (MCH), the natural antiaggregative pheromone of the Douglas-fir beetle, D. pseudotsugae Hopkins. The synthetic attractant frontalin and α-pinene attracted few spruce beetles and its nominal attraction was nearly nullified by addition of MCH. Male spruce beetles responded to the natural and synthetic attractants in greater numbers than females. When MCH was added to these treatments, females predominated among the few beetles caught. The clerid Thanasimus undatulus Say was strongly attracted to treatments containing frontalin, whether or not MCH was added, but MCH alone was not attractive to this predator. Among 13 other species of scolytids caught, the most abundant were Scierus annectens Leconte and Hylastes nigrinus (Mann.). Two relatively rare species, Scierus pubescens Sw. and Xylechinus montanus Blkm., were attracted in unusual numbers to natural spruce beetle attractant. Intensive study is recommended of the possible use of MCH to prevent increase of spruce beetle populations.

Developments in Multiple Comparisons 1966–1976

“…The predator, Thanasimus undatulus, showed a preference for traps baited with exobrevicomin in combination with myrcene or a-pinene, particularly the latter (Table 1). As might be expected for a generalist predator, similar results with T. undatulus have been reported with the following bark beetle pheromones: frontalin, exo-and endo-brevicomin, ipsdienol, ipsenol, and cis-verbenol (Kline et al 1974;Dyer 1975;Chatelain and Schenk 1984;Miller et al 1987;Miller and Borden 1990;Miller et al 1991;Miller et al 1997;Poland and Borden 1997). Usually, T undatulus are not attracted to host tree compounds (Fumiss and Schmitz 1971;Miller and Borden 1990) although Macias-Samano et al (1998) demonstrated attraction of T undatulus to host blends from grand fir, A&es grandis (Dougl.)…”

New repellent semiochemicals for three species of Dendroctonus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

“…Heterospecific kairomones emitted by beetles infesting nonhost conifers can therefore reinforce nonhost cues and serve as a factor that mediates host selection. (Rudinsky 1973;Pitman & Vité 1974;Rudinsky et al 1974a) antiaggregation pheromone (Lindgren et al 1989b) aggregation pheromone (Libbey et al 1983) aggregation pheromone (Setter & Borden 1999) aggregation pheromone (Pitman et al 1968;Pitman & Vité 1969;Billings et al 1976;Libbey et al 1985) antiaggregation pheromone (this study) no behavioural activity (this study) no behavioural activity (this study) antiaggregation pheromone (Ryker & Yandell 1983;Lindgren et al 1989a;Safranyik et al 1992 repellent kairomone (Ryker & Yandell 1983;Lindgren et al 1989a;Safranyik et al 1992;Pureswaran et al 2003, this study) repellent kairomone* Pureswaran et al 2003) repellent kairomone* [Huber & Borden (2001) demonstrated repellence] repellent kairomone* (Poland & Borden 1998b) repellent kairomone* (Poland & Borden 1998b) (Continued) (Pureswaran et al 2000) antiaggregation pheromone (this study)* no behavioural activity (this study) antiaggregation pheromone (Pureswaran et al 2000) aggregation pheromone (Libbey et al 1985;Pierce et al 1987;Miller & Lafontaine 1991;Pureswaran et al 2000) aggregation pheromone (Pitman & Vité 1970) multifunctional pheromone aggregation pheromone (Kline et al 1974;Furniss et al 1976) aggregation pheromone (Gries et al 1992;…”

Spruce Beetle Biology, Ecology and Management in the Rocky Mountains: An Addendum to Spruce Beetle in the Rockies

“…MCH has been applied to reduce the numbers of spruce beetles attracted to infested logs and synthetic semiochemical lures [193][194][195][196][197]. However, MCH has not been effective in preventing the infestation of live trees [198] with one exception in Alaska, when it was dispersed using a microinfusion pump in areas with low spruce beetle population densities [199].…”