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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Pest Management and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252549
Title: Olfactory and visual responses of the long-legged chafer hoplia spectabilis medvedev (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Qinghai province, China

Author
item ZHANG, QUING-HE - Sterling International, Inc
item MA, JIAN-HAI - Forest Pest Control And Quarantine Station Of Qinghai Province
item Byers, John
item KLEIN, MICHAEL - The Ohio State University
item LUO, YOU-QUING - Beijing Forestry University
item ZHAO, FENG-YU - Forest Pest Control And Quarantine Station Of Qinghai Province
item YANG, QI-QING - Forest Pest Control And Quarantine Station Of Qinghai Province

Submitted to: Pest Management Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/3/2010
Publication Date: 10/27/2011
Citation: Zhang, Q., Ma, J., Byers, J.A., Klein, M.G., Luo, Y., Zhao, F., Yang, Q. 2011. Olfactory and visual responses of the long-legged chafer hoplia spectabilis medvedev (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Qinghai province, China. Pest Management Science. 67(2):162-169.

Interpretive Summary: Hoplia spectabilis Medvedev, a scarab beetle, has recently been in outbreak numbers in grasslands of Qinghai province, China. The beetle is causing significant damage to several species of woody shrubs of economic importance. Field trapping experiments, using cross-pane funnel traps, showed that H. spectabilis adults were not significantly attracted to cut host plant branches [Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydb. (Rosaceae)] but were slightly attracted to similar host plant branches infested by beetles, possibly due to weakly attractive volatiles, such as (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, released from the beetle-damaged host leaves; this compound was weakly attractive when released from traps. Little or no evidence of a beetle-produced sex pheromone was observed. However, H. spectabilis beetles showed strong visual responses to trap panes painted yellow or white, with weaker responses to blue and red or green, and least (or none at all) to black panes. Black cross-pane funnel traps intercepted significantly more beetles at 0.2-1.5 m above ground than did the traps at 2.5 m height. The mean flight height based on trap catches was 0.88 ' 0.76 (±SD) yielding an effective flight layer of 1.9 m. The flight layer can be used in modeling mass trapping. Flight response of the beetles to different colored barrier traps occurred between 10:00 and 18:00, and peaked between 12:00-14:00 when daily temperatures reached their maximum. Unbaited yellow or white cross-pane funnel (barrier) traps are recommended for both monitoring and mass-trapping operational programs against this economically and ecologically important scarab beetle. The barrier traps should be deployed in lines in the pastureland parallel to shrub stand edges, and 10-20 m away from the scrub forest edge. Such an effort has great potential to intercept the flight of H. spectabilis as they disperse from pasturelands to the shrub forests along the Habu River, thus reducing H. spectabilis damage along the riverbanks.

Technical Abstract: The long-legged chafer, Hoplia spectabilis Medvedev (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), has recently been recorded in outbreak numbers in pastureland of Qinghai province, China. It is causing significant damage to several species of woody shrubs, especially Hippophae neurocarpa Liu and Ho (Elaeagnaceae), Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydb. (Rosaceae) and Myricaria germanica Desv. (Tamaricaceae). Field trapping experiments, using cross-pane funnel traps, showed that H. spectabilis adults were not significantly attracted to host plant branches (D. fructicosa) but were slightly attracted to similar host plant branches infested by conspecific beetles, possibly due to weakly attractive volatiles, such as (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, released from the beetle-damaged host leaves; and the compound was weakly attractive when released from traps. No evidence of a beetle-produced sex pheromone was observed. However, H. spectabilis beetles showed strong visual responses to trap panes painted yellow or white, with weaker responses to blue and red or green, and least to black panes. Black cross-pane funnel traps intercepted significantly more beetles at 0.2-1.5 m above ground than did the traps at 2.5 m height. The mean flight height based on trap catches was 0.88 ' 0.76 (±SD) yielding an effective flight layer of 1.9 m. Flight response of the beetles to different colored barrier traps occurred between 10:00 and 18:00, and peaked between 12:00-14:00 when daily temperatures reached their maximum. Unbaited yellow or white cross-pane funnel (barrier) traps are recommended for both monitoring and mass-trapping operational programs against this economically and ecologically important scarab beetle. The barrier traps should be deployed in lines in the pastureland parallel to shrub stand edges, and 10-20 m away from the scrub forest edge. Such an effort has great potential to intercept the flight of H. spectabilis as they disperse from pasturelands to the shrub forests along the Habu River, thus reducing H. spectabilis damage along the riverbanks.