Trapping of ambrosia beetles by artificially produced lures in a oak forest

Abstract

Ambrosia beetles are among the most damaging forest pests. They are frequently moved intercontinentally and are therefore subject to quarantines. The objective of the current research was to determine whether two commercially produced lures for Trypodendron species also attract central European ambrosia beetles. In 2018, Theysohn<sup>®</sup> traps were deployed in an oak forest that also contained hornbeam and linden trees. Five pair of traps was baited with the standard synthetic pheromone lures, Trypowit<sup>®</sup> or Lineatin Kombi<sup>®</sup>. The 201 adults of ambrosia bark beetles that were trapped were identified to eight species, which represents almost the entire spectrum of oak ambrosia scolytids in the region. Trypodendron domesticum, Xyleborinus saxesenii, and Xyleborus monographus were the most abundant species and exhibited a slight preference for the lure with a higher content of alcohols (Lineatin Kombi<sup>®</sup>). Both lures attracted T. lineatum because both contain lineatin. The number of beetles trapped was low probably because food sources (damaged or wilting oaks) were rare and because the forest was surrounded by agricultural land and therefore isolated from other oak forests.