Studies of Flight and Attack Activity of the Ambrosia Beetle, Trypodendron lineatum (Oliv.), and other Scolytids

Abstract

The flight habits of any scolytid beetle are an important aspect of its biology, and times of flight should be known for effective chemical protection of logs against its attacks. Consequently, during the course of biological and chemical control investigations of the ambrosia beetle, Trypodendron lineatum (Oliv.), from 1954 through 1956, much attention was directed to a study of its flight activity. This species is well known to attack early in the spring. There are other attack flights later in the season but far fewer beetles are involved then. The beetles also fly at the time they leave the brood logs to enter forest litter, where they overwinter. Several methods were used to study the influence of weather, season, and other factors on flights of Trypodendron and, to a lesser extent, of other scolytids. These methods and some of the data secured are described and discussed in this paper.