Identifying attractive semiochemicals for Anisandrus maiche

 
Anisandrus maiche Stark (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), an exotic ambrosia beetle native to Asia, has been spreading throughout the eastern United States since 2005. In the current invaded range, its preferred host plants are not well known, however, A. maiche has been found establishing galleries in plantation grown black walnut (Juglans nigra) and nearby forested land in northwestern Indiana. It is difficult to predict the impact A. maiche could have on North American forests.
In this study, we conducted field-based trapping experiments in northwestern Indiana to explore the potential of ethanol and conophthorin as semiochemical attractants for A. maiche, as well as verbenone as a repellant. A. maiche capture in ethanol baited traps was significantly higher (p<0.001) than any other treatment group. These findings demonstrate bottle-traps baited with ethanol are useful in monitoring for A. maiche, and aid stakeholders in establishing effective management programs. Furthermore, it appears that conophthorin repelled A. maiche in our study, suggesting that semiochemicals may hold promise for manipulating the behavior of this species using a push-pull strategyto protect high-value plantings of black walnut from attack.