Effects of mating on the termination of aggregation by the oak borer, Platypus quercivorus (Murayama) (Curculionidae: Platypodinae) during host colonization

Abstract

We conducted a field experiment to determine whether logs bored by male Platypus quercivorus beetle were less attractive to conspecifics after beetles had mated. Bored (with male beetles) and unbored logs were placed in a beetle-infested forest and enclosed within a cage. For half of the bored logs, female beetles were released to mate with the male beetles. Log attractiveness was determined by assessing the number of beetles captured on adhesive paper placed on each cage enclosing the log. On the logs on which female beetles were released, the number of beetles captured decreased distinctly after release, and did not differ from the number captured on the unbored logs. In contrast, the number of beetles captured on logs with only unpaired males was higher than the number captured on the unbored logs. This result confirms that the attractiveness of logs bored by male P. quercivorus beetles declines after mating occurs. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence for the relaxation of aggregation pheromone following mating for beetles in the subfamily Platypodinae.