Socioecological Impacts of the Western Pine Beetle Outbreak in Southern California: Lessons for The Future

This article contemplates the way Northern and Southern California have been used in science fiction films since the 1970s. Continuing a trend the author traces to the 1940s novels Earth Abides and Ape and Essence, Northern California represents possible utopian futures while Southern California represents dystopia. The article includes a photo essay featuring science fiction film stills held up against their filming locations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

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INSECT AND HOST ODORS IN THE AGGREGATION OF THE WESTERN PINE BEETLE

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent101113-2 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 101 (2) ◽

pp. 113-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

J. P. Vité ◽

G. B. Pitman

Keyword(s):

Sex Ratio ◽

Pinus Ponderosa ◽

Dendroctonus Ponderosae ◽

Insect Pheromone ◽

Dendroctonus Brevicomis ◽

Western Pine Beetle ◽

Pine Beetle ◽

Host Odor ◽

Host Odors ◽

Per Se

AbstractDendroctonus brevicomis Lec. responded in flight to combinations of insect- and host-produced volatiles. Emergent female beetles crushed at −70 °C, as well as synthetic exo-7-ethyl-5-methyl-6, 8-dioxabicyclo [3.2.1] octane (“brevicomin”) attracted both sexes of the western pine beetle when offered with oleoresin freshly tapped from the host, Pinus ponderosa Laws. Offered separately, these materials were inactive. Crushed emergent Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk. males per se, however, attracted flying D. brevicomis in appreciable numbers. Dominance of either host odor or insect pheromone appeared to govern the sex ratio of the responding insects.

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Cryptic Species Discrimination in Western Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Based on Morphological Characters and Geometric Morphometrics

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects10110377 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 377

Author(s):

Osiris Valerio-Mendoza ◽

Jazmín García-Román ◽

Moises Becerril ◽

Francisco Armendáriz-Toledano ◽

Gerardo Cuéllar-Rodríguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Morphological Characters ◽

Canonical Variate ◽

Dendroctonus Brevicomis ◽

Group Differences ◽

Species Discrimination ◽

Geometric Morphometric ◽

Western Pine Beetle ◽

Principal Coordinates ◽

The Pacific ◽

Pine Beetle

The western pine beetle (WPB), Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte, is a major mortality agent of pines in North America. A total of 706 adults of WPB from 81 geographical sites were analyzed with traditional and geometric morphometric methods to evaluate the variation of discrete and quantitative morphological characters with particular attention to the antenna, spermatheca, and seminal rod. Principal coordinates and canonical variate analyses supported three geographical groups in WPB: (1) West, from British Columbia to southern California along the Pacific coast, Idaho, and Montana; (2) East-SMOC, including Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Chihuahua, and Durango; and (3) SMOR, including Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. The pubescence length on the elytral declivity was a robust character for separating West specimens from the other groups. Additionally, the genitalia shape both female and male in dorsal view was a reliable character for discriminating among groups. Based on these results, which agree with genetic and chemical ecology evidence, we herein reinstate Dendroctonus barberi Hopkins (East-SMOC group) and remove it from synonymy with D. brevicomis (West group). Differences in the spermatheca and seminal rod shape of SMOR specimens suggest that these populations might be a different species from D. barberi and D. brevicomis.

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The Future of X

Boom A Journal of California ◽

10.1525/boom.2013.3.4.85 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 85-100

Keyword(s):

Southern California ◽

Prison System ◽

University Of California ◽

University Of Southern California ◽

Home Food ◽

The Future ◽

University Politics ◽

The University

This article presents short interviews with ten professors in the University of California system and the University of Southern California about the future of California. The topics discussed are: the university, politics, the prison system, transportation, nature, Hollywood, wine, family and the home, food, and music.

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Nonhost Angiosperm Volatiles and Verbenone Protect Individual Ponderosa Pines from Attack by Western Pine Beetle and Red Turpentine Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Western Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/wjaf/23.1.40 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 40-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Christopher J. Fettig ◽

Christopher P. Dabney ◽

Stephen R. McKelvey ◽

Dezene P.W. Huber

Keyword(s):

Benzyl Alcohol ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Pinus Ponderosa ◽

Tree Mortality ◽

Dendroctonus Brevicomis ◽

First Report ◽

Western Pine Beetle ◽

Dendroctonus Valens ◽

Pine Beetle

Abstract Nonhost angiosperm volatiles (NAV) and verbenone were tested for their ability to protect individual ponderosa pines, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex. Laws., from attack by western pine beetle (WPB), Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte, and red turpentine beetle (RTB), Dendroctonus valens LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae). A combination of (−)-verbenone and eight NAVs [benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, guaiacol, nonanal, salicylaldehyde, (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, and (Z)-2-hexen-1-ol] (NAVV) significantly reduced the density of WPB attacks and WPB successful attacks on attractant-baited trees. A significantly higher percentage of pitchouts (unsuccessful WPB attacks) occurred on NAVV-treated trees during two of three sample dates. In addition, significantly fewer RTB attacks were observed on NAVV-treated trees during all sampling dates. The application of NAVV to individual ponderosa pines significantly reduced tree mortality, with only 4 of 30 attractant-baited trees dying from bark beetle attack while 50% mortality (15/30) was observed in the untreated, baited control. To our knowledge, this is the first report establishing the effectiveness of NAVs and verbenone for protecting individual ponderosa pines from WPB attack.

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A Useful Secondary Sex Character in Dendroctonus Bark Beetles

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent90582-10 ◽

1958 ◽

Vol 90 (10) ◽

pp. 582-584 ◽

Cited By ~ 96

Author(s):

R. L. Lyon

Keyword(s):

Bark Beetles ◽

Mountain Pine Beetle ◽

Abdominal Tergite ◽

Dendroctonus Brevicomis ◽

Western Pine Beetle ◽

Mountain Pine ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Pine Beetle ◽

Percent Accuracy

The sex of the western pine beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis Lec.) and the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus monticolae Hopk.) can be ascertained easily and with 100 percent accuracy by means of a secondary sex character on the seventh abdominal tergite of the male. This character can probably be used with equal accuracy to identify sex in all species of the genus Dendroctonus.The need to distinguish between the sexes of adult bark beetles often arises in studies of biology, behavior, or response. The sexing procedure is laborious when large numbers of beetles are involved and external markings of sex are not known. It is then necessary to dissect each beetle to check the genitalia. Dissection is impossible when iniury to the insect must be avoided.

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