FRONTALIN ATTRACTANT IN STANDS INFESTED BY THE SPRUCE BEETLE, DENDROCTONUS RUFIPENNIS (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractField trials of the synthetic bark-beetle pheromone frontalin demonstrated that lines of single, baited spruce trees, in or near Dendroctonus rufipennis infestations, resulted in concentrated beetle attacks on trees in a strip 2 chains (40 m) wide on either side of the lines of baited trees. Pre-flight insecticide (Lindane) application killed the beetles and prevented tree mortality. Post-attack arboricide (Silvisar) treatment killed most parent beetles and brood under the bark. A predator, Thanasimus undatulus, also was aggregated at frontalin-baited trees. This application of pheromone shows promise of becoming a forest management tool to concentrate beetle attacks in partly infested stands prior to logging.