Pheromone specificity in pine engraver beetles (Ips pini Say) differs across North America. This variation makes monitoring and suppression trapping difficult without area-specific information. Our objectives were to 1) further increase understanding of area-specific pheromone attraction in northern Arizona (Flagstaff) and western Montana (Missoula), and 2) add to our understanding of the continent-wide patterns of pine engraver pheromone specificity. We evaluated variation in response by pine engraver to the attractant pheromone ipsdienol and the synergist lanierone. Five isomeric blends of ipsdienol (+03/-97, +25/-75, +50/-50, +75/-25, +97/-03) were tested with and without lanierone. Insect catches from the Lindgren-funnel traps were collected weekly for four weeks, and traps were re-randomized after each collection. Regression analysis indicates that the level of (-)-ipsdienol and the presence of lanierone increased catch numbers of Ips pini in both populations. Overall, the treatment combination of +03/-97 ipsdienol with lanierone resulted in higher catch numbers than other treatments. Increased attraction to traps with lanierone present, and lack of attraction by lanierone alone, support lanierone's role as a synergist. Comparison of the pheromone specificity of these two populations with that of other areas in North America suggests the existence of a 'hybrid' population around western Montana but raises questions as to the origin of the northern Arizona population.
Species 1: Coleoptera Scolytidae Ips pini (pine engraver)
Keywords: pheromones, trapping
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