A simplified tree bait for the mountain pine beetle

1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1108-1113 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Borden ◽  
L.J. Chong ◽  
B.S. Lindgren ◽  
E.J. Begin ◽  
T.M. Ebata ◽  
...  

Seven, split-block experiments throughout British Columbia in 1989 tested the efficacy of binary tree baits containing the pheromones trans-verbenol and exo-brevicomin or ternary baits with the addition of the host tree kairomone myrcene for containing and concentrating infestations of the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonusponderosae Hopkins, in stands of lodgepole pine, Pinuscontorta var. latifolia Engelm. Attack densities on baited trees, attack frequencies of baited trees and trees within 10 m of the baited trees, and the ratios of newly attacked, green, trees to previously attacked, red, trees were generally statistically equal between sub-blocks containing binary or ternary baits. Where statistically significant differences occurred for one or more of the above criteria in one experiment, they were generally offset by statistically significant differences in the opposite direction in another experiment. Two individual-tree experiments in 1990 that supported the equality of binary and ternary baits indicated that raising the release rate of trans-verbenol in binary baits tended to reduce their efficacy (possibly because of contamination with the antiaggregation pheromone verbenone) and showed that increasing the release rate of exo-brevicomin tended to counteract this effect. When attack frequencies were subdivided by diameter class of available trees attacked, all baits were effective in inducing attack on available trees <30.0 cm diameter at breast height (1.3 m), but attack on baited and control trees ≥30 cm diameter at breast height was equal. Provided that the trans-verbenol in binary baits does not contain or autoxidize to verbenone, myrcene can be deleted from operational tree baits.

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick J. Shea ◽  
Mark D. McGregor ◽  
Gary E. Daterman

Mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonusponderosae Hopkins, is the primary pest affecting lodgepole pine, Pinuscontorta var. latifolia Engelm., ecosystems in western North America. In 1988, aerial treatments of the antiaggregation pheromone, verbenone, were applied to lodgepole pine stands infested with mountain pine beetle in northwestern Montana. The pheromone was formulated by PHERO TECH Inc. in controlled-release, cylindrical 5 × 5 mm plastic beads and applied without benefit of a sticker at the rate of 54 g verbenone per hectare. There were significantly fewer successfully attacked trees on the treated plots, as evidenced by (i) a fourfold greater incidence of current-year attacked trees per hectare in the untreated check plots and (ii) the significantly lower (α = 0.05) ratio of 1988:1987 attacked trees in the treated plots. Further, the number of trees per hectare resisting attacks (as reflected by number of trees pitching out bark beetles) was higher (α = 0.05) in the treated plots. More pitch outs occurred in treated plots presumably because avoidance of verbenone by beetles reduced the number of beetles below that needed to overcome the natural resistance of attacked trees.


1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 1234-1239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. McGregor ◽  
Gene D. Amman ◽  
Richard F. Schmitz ◽  
Robert D. Oakes

Partial cutting prescriptions were applied in the fall of 1978 through the early winter of 1980 to lodgepole pine stands (Pinuscontorta Douglas var. latifolia Engelmann) threatened by mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonusponderosae Hopkins) in the Kootenai and Lolo National Forests in western Montana, U.S.A. Partial cutting prescriptions consisted of removing from separate stands all trees 17.8, 25,4, and 30.5 cm and larger diameter at breast height (dbh), and prescriptions leaving 18.4, 23.0, and 27.6 m2 basal area per hectare. In thinned stands, the first 5 years' results following cutting showed greatly reduced tree losses to mountain pine beetle when compared with untreated stands (P < 0.01) on both forests. There were no significant differences in tree losses among partial cut treatments (P > 0.05). Post treatment mortality of lodgepole pine 12.7 cm and larger dbh to mountain pine beetle averaged 4.0 to 38.6% on the Kootenai and 6.0 to 17.1% on the Lolo in treated stands, compared with averages of 93.8 and 73.1% in untreated stands. Partial cutting appears to be useful for reducing lodgepole losses to mountain pine beetle.


2019 ◽  
Vol 151 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asha Wijerathna ◽  
Caroline Whitehouse ◽  
Heather Proctor ◽  
Maya Evenden

AbstractMountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), adults fly to disperse before host colonisation. The effect of flight on reproduction was tested by comparing the number and quality of offspring from beetles flown on flight mills to that of unflown control beetles. Beetles reproduced in bolts of their native host, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelmann (Pinaceae)), or a novel host, jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lambert (Pinaceae)). Bolts infested by control beetles produced more offspring overall than bolts with flown beetles. The effect of pine species on the number of offspring produced per bolt varied by individual tree. Flown adults produced fewer offspring compared to control parents in all bolts in jack pine regardless of the tree, but tree-level variation was visible in lodgepole pine. An interaction between flight treatment and tree host affected beetle body condition. More offspring emerged from jack pine, but higher quality offspring emerged from lodgepole pine. The offspring sex ratio was female-biased regardless of parental flight treatment. This study reveals trade-offs between flight and reproduction in mountain pine beetle as measured at the level of the bolt.


1996 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Safranyik ◽  
T.L. Shore ◽  
D.A. Linton

AbstractAttack and emergence of the engraver beetles Ips pini Say and I. latidens LeConte were measured in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm.) naturally attacked by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk., in 1991. Sample trees were baited with the Ips pheromones ipsdienol and lanierone 1 week and 3 weeks after attack by the mountain pine beetle and again the following spring to observe the effects of the timing of bait placement. The densities of attack, egg gallery length, emergence, and hibernation of Ips species were measured. Ips latidens did not attack either the baited or unbaked trees at breast height until the spring of 1992 and the relatively low emergence was not significantly different by treatments. Among the 1991 treatments, the densities at breast height (1.3 m) of I. pini attack, egg gallery length, adult emergence in the fall of 1991, and numbers of hibernating adults in the duff were all highest for the 3-week treatment and lowest for the unbaked treatment. Significantly higher densities of beetles emerged and hibernated in the duff on the north sides of trees. Ips pini emergence in late summer 1992 from trees additionally baited in spring 1992 was significantly higher than for trees baited only in fall 1991. The density and temporal distribution of the emergence of both Ips species is discussed in relation to that of the mountain pine beetle.


Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Negrón

Research Highlights: The biology of mountain pine beetle (MPB), Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, in Colorado’s lodgepole pine forests exhibits similarities and differences to other parts of its range. Brood emergence was not influenced by stand density nor related to tree diameter. The probability of individual tree attack is influenced by stocking and tree size. Findings have implications for understanding MPB as a disturbance agent and for developing management strategies. Background and Objectives: MPB causes extensive tree mortality of lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon, across the western US and Canada and is probably the most studied bark beetle in North America. However, most of the current knowledge on the biology and ecology of MPB in lodgepole pine comes from the Intermountain Region of the US and western Canada. Little information is available from Colorado. This is the first study addressing effects of stand stocking levels on the biology of MPB and quantifying phloem consumption. In addition, although data are available on the conditions that foster stand infestation, this is the first study estimating the probability of individual tree attack among stands of known different stocking. Materials and Methods: Studies were conducted in managed lodgepole pine stands in Colorado. Unbaited traps were used to monitor MPB flight across stands of different densities. Cages were used to monitor emergence and bark samples to determine attack densities, and phloem consumption in trees growing under different stocking. Beetle collections were used to determine emergence across the growing season. Tree mortality data from plots of different densities were used to examine the probability of individual tree infestation. Results: More beetles were caught flying through higher density stands. More attacks were observed in lower stocking stands but there were no differences in the number of insects emerging nor phloem consumption. There was no relationship between tree size and beetle emergence. Peak flight occurred in early to mid-August and only one peak of beetle emergence occurred. The probability of tree attack was influenced by stand stocking and tree diameter. Conclusions: In general, aspects of the biology of MPB in Colorado exhibit similarities and differences with other regions. The data suggest the need to more closely examine how MPB functions in stands of different stocking and how the distribution of tree sizes influence the probability of infestation and extent of mortality in stands. Biological characteristics of MPB in Colorado need further examination, particularly as climate change continues to manifest. Baseline information will be critical to refine management approaches, and extend the understanding of how MPB contributes to shape forest composition and structure in Colorado.


2007 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 318-324
Author(s):  
John Borden ◽  
Glen Sparrow ◽  
Nicole Gervan

Pouches releasing verbenone, the antiaggregation pheromone of the mountain pine beetle, were stapled to 1191 lodgepole pines throughout 95 residential properties in four subdivisions at Lac le Jeune, British Columbia, in July 2005. Postflight assessment in October in three of the subdivisions, where almost all infested trees had been removed before beetle flight, revealed new mass attacks on 3.6% of 3857 available trees 17.5 cm or greater (7 in) dbh. In a fourth subdivision where no infested trees were removed, 19.6% of 634 available trees were mass-attacked. In contrast, 17.4% of 1145 available trees were mass-attacked within 25 m (27.5 yd) wide, verbenone-treated buffer strips on public forest land adjacent to the residential properties, and 48.3% of 4975 available trees were mass-attacked on untreated control areas beyond the buffer strips. We conclude that treatment with verbenone pouches at roughly 15 m (16.5 yd) centers is a useful tool for protecting trees from attack by the mountain pine beetle provided that verbenone is used as part of a multiyear integrated pest management program that also includes disposal of all infested trees on the area to be protected before beetle flight in midsummer.


2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 2864-2872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangwon Lee ◽  
Jae-Jin Kim ◽  
Colette Breuil

We assessed the pathogenicity of Leptographium longiclavatum sp. nov., a recently reported fungal associate of the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Hopkins, 1902). In September 2003, 30 lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var latifolia Engelm. ex S. Wats) between 98 and 130 years old were inoculated with L. longiclavatum, the known pathogen Ophiostoma clavigerum, or an agar control. Inoculation densities consisted of 200 and 800 points/m2 in a 60 cm wide band at breast height. The inoculated trees were examined in July 2004, 9 months after inoculation. Five of six trees inoculated with L. longiclavatum at high density (800 points/m2) developed yellow crowns, while the foliage of all trees inoculated at low density (200 points/m2) remained green. Both O. clavigerum and L. longiclavatum generated significantly longer necrotic lesions in the phloem and more occlusions in the sapwood than in the agar controls. In addition, the sapwood colonized by both fungi had a reduced moisture content compared with controls. These results suggest that L. longiclavatum is pathogenic and may contribute to the mortality of mountain pine beetle infested pines.


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