Comparison of ethanol-baited trap designs for ambrosia beetles in orchards in the eastern United States

Authors: TOBIN, KELSEY - Cornell University; LIZARRAGA, SANDRA - Cornell University; ACHARYA, RAJENDRA - University Of Georgia; BARMAN, APURBA - University Of Georgia; SHORT, BRENT - Trece, Inc; Acebes-Doria, Angelita; RIVERA, MONIQUE - Cornell University

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/10/2024
Publication Date: 6/28/2024
Citation: Tobin, K.N., Lizarraga, S., Acharya, R., Barman, A.K., Short, B.D., Acebes-Doria, A.L., Rivera, M.J. 2024. Comparison of ethanol-baited trap designs for ambrosia beetles in orchards in the eastern United States. Journal of Economic Entomology. 117(4):1476-1484. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae145.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae145

Interpretive Summary: A series of trapping studies were conducted to investigate the different trap designs and ethanol lures for effective monitoring of important ambrosia beetle species in apple orchards in New York and pecan orchards in Georgia. Among the trap designs tested, sticky cards were consistently the most effective for capturing beetles across locations. In GA, sticky cards paired with low-release ethanol lures captured the most numbers of the two key ambrosia beetle species. In summary, this study offered practical implications for trap optimization in monitoring and management for ambrosia beetles in orchard settings.

Technical Abstract: Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are among the most devastating pests of orchards, nurseries, and managed and natural forests. Improving trap design and ethanol lures for capturing ambrosia beetles is necessary to develop effective monitoring and management strategies. In this two-year study, we assessed four trap designs and three commercially formulated ethanol lures to refine trapping methods tailored for orchard environments in the eastern United States. Our investigation included orchards in two regions, Georgia (pecan orchards) and New York (apple orchards), targeting major pest species such as Xylosandrus crassiusculus, Xylosandrus compactus, Xylosandrus germanus, and Anisandrus maiche Among the trap designs evaluated, clear sticky cards were most effective for capturing ambrosia beetles across orchard locations. Moreover, our findings revealed that low-release ethanol lures increased beetle capture in Georgia. Notably, in Georgia pecan orchards, sticky cards paired with specific low-release ethanol lures demonstrated enhanced capture of X. crassiusculus and X. compactus, two key ambrosia beetle pests found infesting young pecan trees. Similarly, in New York, sticky cards baited with low-release ethanol lures captured the highest rates of X. germanus and A. maiche, thus indicating its suitability for diverse ambrosia beetle populations. Overall, our study provides practical implications for tailoring trapping protocols to optimize ambrosia beetle management strategies in orchard settings.