Reproductive behaviour and larval development of Monochamus scutellatus scutellatus (Say) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in three pine species from the Great Lakes Forest Region.

摘要

This study investigated the reproductive behaviour and larval development of Monochamus scutellatus scutellatus (Say) infesting Pinus banksiana L., P. resinosa Ait., and P. strobus Lamb. in laboratory and field settings. The reproductive aspects included mating and ovipositing behaviour. For mating behaviour, laboratory and field results suggest that neither female nor male beetles selected mates based on body size. For ovipositing behaviour, ovipositional rate and density on the three pine hosts were similar. Oviposition rates were greatest by heavy females. Acceptance of an oviposition site (measured by the presence of an egg) was greatest in large stem diameters, and thin outer bark. Oviposition scars and eggs within host stems were distributed in an aggregated to random pattern. Larval development in M. s. scutellatus was greatest in P. resinosa and least in P. banksiana; larval growth was influenced primarily by inner bark thickness. The current study increases the understanding of the reproductive behaviour of M. s. scutellatus and allows for the improvement of ecologically-based pest management methods. Mass trapping may be enhanced if trap placement is extended to areas where beetles are feeding, because beetles were found mating in feeding as well as ovipositing areas. In addition, my results suggest that host logs, but specifically P. resinosa with thin outer bark or thick inner bark should be processed first at the mill, as well as avoiding harvesting trees with the aforementioned characteristics in the spring and summer. Foremost, the present study gives rise to many questions to continue investigating the population dynamics, and evolution and ecology of the reproductive behaviour and development of M s. scutellatus.