Effect of climatic factors on the diversity and abundance of Scolytinae and Platypodinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in a pine-oak forest of north-eastern Puebla, Mexico.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this work was to evaluate the diversity and abundance of bark beetles and ambrosial beetles and their relationship with temperature and relative humidity.
 Design/methodology/approach: The study was carried out in a pine-oak forest of the northeastern Sierra of the state of Puebla, where a monitoring system was established using Lindgren traps baited with frontalin, brevicomine, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene.
 Results: The presence of 23 species of bark beetles and ambrosial beetles was recorded. Gnathotrichus sulcatus (LeConte) and Pseudips mexicanus (Hopkins) were the most abundant species and their presence was significantly associated with places having high relative humidity.
 Limitations on study/implications: The results obtained are limited to the studied ecosystem. 
 Findings/conclusions: It was concluded that the abundance of the species observed was closely related with climatic factors.