The objective of our research is to determine host tree suitability for Anoplophora glabripennis Motsch. The survival of artificially inserted A. glabripennis larvae was evaluated in sugar maple (Acer saccharum), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and red oak (Quercus rubra). Larval insertion was performed by slicing a thin flap into the bark of the tree and placing the larvae between the flap of bark and the cambium. The insertion point was then covered with gauze to prevent the larvae from crawling out of the flap. Larvae were checked after two weeks to evaluate initial mortality. In the first trial, larvae were allowed to remain in the trees for eight weeks before the trees were dissected and the extent of larval development evaluated. In the second trial, artificially inserted larvae were allowed to remain in the trees for thirteen weeks. These experiments permitted us to determine the utility of artificial insertion as a method of evaluating larval performance among tree species and provided preliminary information regarding suitability of different tree species for completion of development by A. glabripennis.
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA