Monochamus scutellatus, the white spotted pine sawyer, is an economically and ecologically important native insect in Michigan conifer forests. In
the north central U.S., larvae can develop on several pine and spruce species. Information regarding host preference, however, is sparse for this woodboring species. Our goals are to evaluate host selection preference of adults, how this is influenced by larval conditioning, and to
determine whether host preference affects interspecific competition. Stands of red, white, jack pine and Norway spruce in southwestern Michigan were selected to assess whether M. scutellatus females consistently select
one host for oviposition, even when other potentially acceptable hosts are present. A split plot experimental design was used where stand species was designated as the whole plot and bolt species as the subplot. One tree of
white, red, jack pine and white spruce was felled and bucked into bolts. Bolt diameters were measured and assigned to one of three size categories. Bolts from each size class and each species were laid end to end in the four stands; bolts of the species were separated by at least 3 m. We recorded the number of beetles active on each bolt and beetle host
selection behaviors during timed observation periods biweekly from May thru early September. The presence of predators and other phloem feeders on the bolts was also quantified. Preliminary results suggest that M. scutellatus adults preferred white pine over other conifers in the field study.
Species 1: Coleoptera Cerambycidae Monochamus scutellatus (white-spotted sawyer)
Keywords: host preference, scolytidae
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