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Q&A ViewAttendees 1

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

10-Minute Paper

P-IE: General Ecology and Genetics

Documenting the changes in species composition through time of ambrosia beetles in Virginia

Sunday, October 31, 2021
8:12 AM – 8:24 AM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 103-105
In-Person

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Alejandro Del-pozo

    Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist
    Virginia Tech
    Virginia Beach, Virginia

    • Co-Author(s)

  • DC

    Devin Calpo

    Virginia Wesleyan University
    Virginia Beach, Virginia

  • PS

    Peter Schultz

    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
    Virginia Beach, Virginia

Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) have been trapped for the past twenty years using ethanol-based lures in eastern Virginia. The most commonly found species during these monitoring efforts have been: 1) the granulate ambrosia beetle [Xylosandrus crassiusculus], 2) the black stem borer [Xylosandrus germanus], 3) the black twig borer [Xylosandrus compactus], and 4) the camphor shot borer [Cnestus mutilatus]. Based on historical data, the granulate ambrosia beetle is first captured in mid-March. Once air temperature increases, both the black stem borer and black twig borer are captured in these traps from mid-April to July. The last species to be captured in these traps has been the camphor shot borer, where its first appearance   was usually recorded in late-April and early May. Data from our last two monitoring seasons indicated an early shift for the appearance of the camphor shot borer in eastern VA, in late-March, instead of late-April. Warmer temperatures, as well as urbanization might have influenced the population dynamic of this borer. Having an additional beetle species, triple the size of the granulate ambrosia beetle early in the growing season, when trees grown in commercial nurseries are most susceptible, poses an additional threat for the tree nursery industry.