Responses of the two‐spotted oak buprestid, Agrilus biguttatus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), to host tree volatiles

Abstract

BACKGROUND Agrilus bigutattus (Fabricius) is a forest pest of increasing importance in the United Kingdom. The larvae damage weakened native oaks and are thought to contribute to premature tree death. Suspected links with acute oak decline (AOD) are not yet confirmed, but AOD‐predisposed trees appear to become more susceptible to A. biguttatus attack. Thus, management may be necessary for control of this insect. To explore the possibility of monitoring beetle populations by baited traps, the host tree volatiles regulating A. biguttatus–oak interactions were studied.RESULTSBiologically active volatile organic compounds in dynamic headspace extracts of oak foliage and bark were identified initially by coupled gas chromatography–electroantennography (GC‐EAG) and GC–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS), and the structures were confirmed by GC coinjection with authentic compounds. Of two synthetic blends of these compounds comprising the active leaf volatiles, the simpler one containing three components evoked strongly positive behavioural responses in four‐arm olfactometer tests with virgin females and males, although fresh leaf material was more efficient than the blend. The other blend, comprising a five‐component mixture made up of bark volatiles, proved to be as behaviourally active for gravid females as bark tissue.CONCLUSIONSThese initial results on A. biguttatus chemical ecology reveal aspects of the role of attractive tree volatiles in the host‐finding of beetles and underpin the development of semiochemically based surveillance strategies for this forest insect. © 2015 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Chemical Ecology of Capnodis tenebrionis (L.) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): Behavioral and Biochemical Strategies for Intraspecific and Host Interactions

“…A high electron-antennographic response was previously shown for this green leaf volatile in C. tenebrionis (Bari et al, 2004). The current data on behavioral differences between males and females appear to contradict earlier data showing more virgin males than virgin females in oaks infested by A. biguttatus (F.) (Silk and Ryall, 2015; Vuts et al, 2016), but the numbers are in accordance with the data on Coroebus florentinus Herbst. (Furstenau et al, 2012) and A. planipennis infesting cork oak (Silk and Ryall, 2015).…”

Volatiles from Sophora japonica flowers attract Harmonia axyridis adults (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

“…The base of the antenna was first inserted into the reference electrode. The tip of the recording electrode was bowlshaped, and half of the last distal antennal segment was immersed in saline solution (Syed et al 2003;Ceballos et al 2015;Vuts et al 2016). The DC potential was recorded on a computer (Auto Spike ver.…”

Isolation and identification of floral attractants from a nectar plant for the dried bean beetle, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae)

“…These ubiquitous volatiles have been identified from a large number of plant species 41 with various roles in plant-arthropod interactions, including attractant properties for insects in many cases. [42][43][44][45][46][47][48] Of the 39 mostly terpenoid compounds reported in the present study for D. carota (Table S1), 20 of them (51%) are also found in other Daucus species. The six EAG-active D. carota volatiles appear to be a unique (and perhaps characteristic) combination in the floral headspace of Daucus spp.…”

“…( Z )‐Ocimene, myrcene, linalool (unknown chirality), germacrene D, ( E )‐caryophyllene, methyl salicylate, ( Z )‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol and ( Z )‐3‐hexenyl acetate each occur in three genera, but the latter three compounds do not occur in Daucus . These ubiquitous volatiles have been identified from a large number of plant species with various roles in plant–arthropod interactions, including attractant properties for insects in many cases . Of the 39 mostly terpenoid compounds reported in the present study for D. carota (Table S1), 20 of them (51%) are also found in other Daucus species.…”