Comparison of Ips cembrae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Capture Methods: Small Trap Trees Caught the Most Beetles

Karolina Resnerová,Peter Surový,Jaroslav Holuša,Jiří Trombik,Emanuel Kula

doi:10.3390/f11121275

Karolina Resnerová, Peter Surový + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/f11121275

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Abstract

Ips cembrae is the most important bark beetle pest of larches and has had several local outbreaks in recent decades in Europe. In this study, we compared the numbers of I. cembrae captured by pyramid-trap piles, trap trees, pheromone traps, and poisoned and baited tripods. We also studied how the properties of trap trees and trap logs (volume, sun exposure, and position relative to the ground once deployed) affected the trapping of I. cembrae. We found that both sexes avoided infestation at the bottom of the logs and more than 15 times the number of beetles were captured by traditional trap trees than by pheromone traps or baited and insecticide-treated tripods. The number of I. cembrae per trap tree did not decrease with trap volume; therefore, it is appropriate to use traps of small dimensions. Baited tripods, pyramid-trap piles, and pheromone traps could be useful for detection of the beginning of flight activity, but trap trees are the most useful for reducing I. cembrae numbers.

Highlights

European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) is native to the Alps and to several mountainous ranges in Central Europe
Unbaited tripods or pyramid-trap piles can be used, but they are less effective than trap trees
Unbaited tripods and pyramid-trap piles should be placed in sunlit locations near the forest edge and should be raised above the ground

Summary

Introduction

European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) is native to the Alps and to several mountainous ranges in Central Europe. Its early introduction outside its native range, especially in the lowlands of western and northern Europe, has been problematic for ecological and phytosanitary reasons [1]. Its current natural distribution is fragmented and spans about 500,000 ha. Plantations of European larch cover an additional 500,000 ha [2]. In the Czech Republic, L. decidua covers a total area of 100,263 ha—i.e., 3.2% of the forested area in the country. Larch has been recently considered as useful for the regeneration of areas that have been cleared following bark beetle outbreaks in spruce stands [3]

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