Flight phenology and colonization behavior of the peach bark beetle, Phloeotribus liminaris

Black cherry ([i]Prunus serotina[/i]) is among the most marketable hardwood species in North America. Unfortunately, widespread infestations of the peach bark beetle, [i]Phloeotribus liminaris[/i], keep many of these trees from reaching veneer quality and reduce their value by as much as 90%. The destructive nature of the beetle is only exacerbated by difficulty in controlling its populations. In fact, the majority of its life cycle is spent concealed beneath the bark of trees where it is physically protected from sprayed pesticides. Little is known about the host colonization behavior of this and other bark beetles that attack hardwoods. In this study, we describe the flight phenology of [i]P. liminaris[/i] and test the hypothesis that semiochemicals mediate host colonization. To understand the flight activity of [i]P. liminaris[/i], we monitored populations at three sites in Tippecanoe County, Indiana using Lindgren funnel traps baited with ethanol and bolts of black cherry. To determine if host volatiles are attractive to the beetles, we measured the response of adults to bolts of black cherry in a glass olfactometer. Information on the colonization behavior of the peach bark beetle will aid in establishing effective management programs, such as improving detection methods and optimizing survey strategies.