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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #367046
Research Project: Pre-and Postharvest Treatment of Tropical Commodities to Improve Quality and Increase Trade Through Quarantine Security

Location: Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research

Title: Response of invasive Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Lamiinae) to known cerambycid aggregation-sex pheromones in the Puna District of Hawai’i Island

Author
item COLLIGNON, R. MAXWELL - Eastern Mennonite University
item SIDERHURST, MATTHEW - Eastern Mennonite University
item MILLAR, JOCELYN - University Of California
item Cha, Dong

Submitted to: Hawaiian Entomological Society Proceedings
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2019
Publication Date: 12/31/2019
Citation: Collignon, R., Siderhurst, M., Millar, J.G., Cha, D.H. 2019. Response of invasive Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Lamiinae) to known cerambycid aggregation-sex pheromones in the Puna District of Hawai’i Island. Hawaiian Entomological Society Proceedings. 51(2):15-23.

Interpretive Summary: The Queensland longhorn borer (QLB) and plumeria longhorn borer (PLB) are invasive longhorn beetle species established in the island of Hawai’i. QLB attacks live cacao, citrus, kukui, and ulu trees in Hawaii and PLB attacks plumeria and other ornamental crops. As a first step to develop a monitoring tool for these invasive beetles, we tested four known pheromones of longhorn beetles that are known to attract more than 30 longhorn beetle species. When field tested in panel traps, none of compounds tested were attractive to QLB. However, one compound, fuscamol acetate, was attractive to PLB. Our results suggest that fuscamol acetate can be useful to develop and improve detection and monitoring tools for PLB, while further research is necessary to develop an effective lure for QLB.

Technical Abstract: The Queensland longhorn borer (QLB; Acalolepta aesthetica; Olliff; Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Monochamini) and plumeria longhorn borer (PLB; Lagocheirus obsoletus = Lagocheirus undatus; Thomson 1778; Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Acanthocini) are invasive longhorn beetle species to the island of Hawai’i. Both QLB and PLB are polyphagous. Known hosts of QLB include cacao, citrus, kukui, and ulu in Hawaii and they are known to attack live, healthy trees. Currently the beetle occurs in the Puna district of the island, but its range is expanding. PLB is a pest of plumeria and other ornamental plants throughout the state of Hawai’i and elsewhere. As a first step towards developing a monitoring tool for these invasive beetles, we tested four known aggregation-sex pheromones of cerambycids in this subfamily – monochamol, fuscumol acetate, fuscumol, and geranylacetone – that have proven effective for attracting more than 30 lamiine species in different areas of the world. When tested in panel traps, these compounds individually and in a blend attracted 9 QLB total, which was not significantly different than the 5 QLB captured in solvent control traps. In contrast, traps baited with one of the tested compounds, fuscumol acetate, captured significantly more PLB than control traps. We discuss future research directions for developing attractants to monitor QLB and PLB.