Flight Phenologies of the Southeastern <I>Ips</I> Species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and Some Associated Coleoptera in Central and Southern Louisiana

Abstract

A year-long flight phenology study was undertaken from 15 July 2009 to 7 July 2010 in central and southeastern Louisiana to estimate the temporal flight patterns of the three southeastern Ips species: Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff), Ips avulsus (Eichhoff), and Ips calligraphus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) as well as some of their predatory and phloem-feeding coleopteran associates. The southeastern Ips species play important roles as decomposers in forest ecosystems, but can cause ecological and economic damage during epidemic population phases. In total, 282,761 individuals of the three southeastern Ips species were collected using Ips pheromone-baited multiple funnel traps during the study period. Two major Ips activity peaks were observed during 16 September to 7 October of 2009 and 24 March to 15 April of 2010. In total, 9,139 associated Coleoptera were also collected. Greater than 95% of the total number of associated Coleoptera collected were represented by histerids from the genus Platysoma (4,487; 49.1% of total), the trogossitid Temnoscheila virescens (F.) (2,107; 23.1%), cerambycids from the genus Monochamus (1,013; 11.1%), and Acanthocinus obsoletus (Olivier) (743; 8.1%), and the clerid Thanasimus dubius (F.) (477; 5.2%). Results showed that the associates fell into four temporal groups: the winter and spring active species T. dubius; the spring active species Rhagium inquisitor (L.) and histerids from the genus Platysoma; the spring and summer active species T. virescens, Buprestis lineata F., and Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier); and the summer through fall active species A. obsoletus and Monochamus titillator (F.).