Survey tools and demographic parameters of SlovakianAgrilusassociated with beech and poplar

Abstract

AbstractWoodborers in theAgrilusgenus (Coleoptera:Buprestidae) pose high invasiveness risk as indicated by the recent invasion and continental spread of emerald ash borer, and the associated threat to ash resources in North America. In that context, development of detection tools for potentially invasiveAgrilusspp. is a research priority. Experiments carried out in 2013 in Slovakian beech and poplar forests evaluated the attraction of multipleAgrilusspecies to green and purple sticky prism traps baited with various lures [blank, cubeb oil, (Z)‐3‐hexenol]. The two most abundant species wereAgrilus viridisL. in beech (Fagusspp.) forest (146 adults, >95% of which were females) andAgrilus convexicollisRedtenbacher in poplar (Populusspp.) forest (158 adults, two‐thirds of them males). The two species exhibited opposite responses to color: purple traps attracted 2–3× more adultA. viridisthan green traps, whereas most (>95%) specimens ofA. convexicolliswere captured on green traps. Volatile baits did not influence captures of adults for either species. The introduction and establishment ofA. viridisin North America is of particular concern owing to its feeding niche (primary pest that can attack healthy trees), large body size, and high level of polyphagy (>10 genera of host trees). Additional experiments conducted in beech forests in 2014 found purple prism traps more attractive to femaleA. viridisthan green prism traps, especially those baited with cubeb oil. No analysis was conducted for males because of their low abundance. FemaleA. viridisflew earlier in 2013 than in 2014, but neither their body size nor fecundity varied between years. In both years, large females had more eggs in their abdomen than small females, and the number of eggs steadily declined over time, which suggests that femaleA. viridisare reproductively mature at emergence.