Abundance of Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) neonates falling to the soil under tree canopies in Florida citrus groves

The purpose of these experiments was to estimate the number and distribution of Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) neonate larvae dropping from the canopy of infested citrus trees. The number of neonates was monitored in the field using passive funnel traps in two simultaneous experiments and a separate experiment for an additional year. In one experiment, traps were placed from trunk to dripline in the cardinal directions under each of five trees (132 traps total). In a second experiment, eight traps were placed under each tree in the cardinal directions, one trap 30 cm from the trunk and one trap 30 cm from the dripline/direction for 25 trees (200 traps total). Larvae were collected weekly for 50 wk in conical tubes containing ethylene glycol as a preservative. Traps closer to the tree trunk captured more larvae than traps nearer the dripline. The area under the tree canopy was positively correlated with the total estimated number of larvae captured per tree. The estimated number of total larvae/tree over the course of our experiments ranged from 955 to 7,290. The highest number of neonate larvae observed in 1 wk was 67 +/- 6/m2. There was an inverse relationship between the number of traps beneath a tree and the number of trees that needed to be sampled to estimate mean population density with a given precision. However, there was a direct relationship between number of traps/tree and the total number of traps needed for a given precision. This passive technique could be used to quantify the destructive larval stage and to assess D. abbreviatus management strategies.     

Effects of pitfall trap size and sampling duration on collection of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in temperate forests

Pitfall trapping is a standard sampling method to compare the abundance or community structure of ground beetles. However, effects of sampling duration on biodiversity estimation of ground beetles according to different trap sizes have not been experimentally evaluated in temperate forests in Korea. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the interaction between trap sizes (SB, small‐sized bottle; MB, medium‐sized bottle; PC, plastic cup; PJ, plastic jar; PT, perforated type trap; FT, funnel‐type trap) and sampling duration (T1, 2 weeks × 2 sessions, 28 days; T2, 2 weeks × 4 sessions, 56 days; T3, 4 weeks × 2 sessions, 56 days) on estimation of ground beetle assemblages in Naejangsan National Park, a temperate forest in Korea. Funnel type and larger pitfall traps collected higher numbers of individuals and species than other trap sizes. Species composition of ground beetles was different by size of traps (SB, MB, and PC vs. PJ, PT, and FT). In particular, ground beetle composition in larger traps (PJ, PT, and FT) appeared to be influenced by environmental characteristics according to localities (e.g., soil characters and dominant tree species). These findings from our study support that pitfall trapping of ground beetles can be influenced by trap sizes per se as well as sampling durations and environmental characteristics. Thus, biodiversity monitoring in temperate forests should be conducted with long sampling duration (at least 28 days) using large‐sized traps (> 7.5 cm in diameter of trap mouthpart) considering expenses and study aims.     

Vertical and horizontal movements of Fuller's rose weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Australian citrus groves

Fuller's rose weevil (FRW; Asynonychus cervinus (Boheman)) is a pest of quarantine concern in many Asian markets for Australian citrus. We investigated vertical (tree climbing) and horizontal movements (inter‐tree movements) of FRW adults in a citrus orchard during 2009–2011 with mark‐recapture experiments. Trunk traps were used to intercept tree‐climbing adults. The results showed that the majority of the adults released on the foliage stayed in the canopy, however considerable numbers did drop and some dropped multiple times. The rate of drops appeared to be fixed, independent of how many times the weevils had dropped before. Inter‐tree movements of adults in the canopy occurred mainly within rows, probably because of touching foliage between within‐row neighboring trees. Movement directions on the ground were more random, when reliance on touching foliage was not necessary. According to fitted dispersal equations, the average dispersal distance was 38 m for weevils released on foliage and 127 m for those released on the ground. Trunk banding with chemicals is an important control tactic for FRW, and based on our results, chemicals should be applied at a high enough rate (or in a wide enough band) to ensure the weevils are killed by a single crossing. For maximum reductions of FRW populations in citrus, control actions should be applied not only to infested blocks but also to neighboring blocks in the orchard.     

Movement of adult pecan weevils Curculio caryae within pecan orchards

1 The pecan weevil Curculio caryae (Horn) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an indigenous pest of pecan Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch, in North America. Understanding the movement of this pest from the orchard floor to host trees could lead to pest management practices that exploit weevil behaviour and thus reduce insecticide application to the entire orchard canopy. Furthermore, no information exists on diel periodicity of pecan weevil movement. 2 Movement of adult pecan weevils crawling and flying to the host trunk, flying to the host canopy, crawling within the host canopy and flying between host trees was studied using four types of passive traps over four seasons. Each type of trap was used to capture weevils at different locations on or near the tree and to discriminate flying versus crawling behaviour. 3 More pecan weevils crawl to the trunk than fly and a proportion of the population flies directly from the orchard floor into the pecan canopy. The majority of this movement occurs at dusk. 4 The vertical distribution of weevils was generally uniform throughout the canopy but more weevils were captured in suspended traps nearest tree tops, rather than traps near the ground, when flying between trees and this was significantly so for two of 4 years. 5 The results of the present study are contrary to previous reports suggesting that most adult pecan weevils fly to the pecan trunk after emergence from the soil; however, our results did indicate that a proportion of the population flies directly from the orchard floor into the pecan canopy and thus would circumvent strategies that attempt to control weevils moving up the trunk.     

Reduced oviposition by Diaprepes abbreviatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and growth enhancement of citrus by Surround particle film

Regularly applied sprays of a particle film, Surround WP, greatly enhanced the growth of citrus trees on a poorly drained Winder soil at Fort Pierce, FL. After 3 yr of applications every 3 or 4 wk, Surround-treated trees had at least 5 times the mass, 6 times the canopy volume, and approximately 4 times the cross-sectional area of the tree stems at the graft union compared with untreated trees. The larger Surround-treated trees attracted a higher number of adult weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) and to a lesser extent citrus root weevil, Pachnaeus litus (Germar), per tree, but there was an equivalent number of egg masses per tree compared with the control trees. The number of egg masses per female weevil oviposited on Surround-treated trees was significantly less than either the control trees or trees treated biannually with an entomopathogenic nematode, BioVector. The number of larvae per tree recovered from the roots of excavated trees was greater from trees treated with Surround once every 3 wk compared with control trees. The data suggest that Surround particle film greatly enhanced the growth of citrus trees grown in a poorly drained soil. The reduction in oviposition by D. abbreviatus was insufficient to significantly reduce the number of root weevil larvae per tree feeding on the roots. However, the more vigorous trees resulting from Surround applications may be more resistant or tolerant to root weevil feeding.     

Development of a semiochemical-based trapping method for the New Guinea sugarcane weevil, Rhabdoscelus obscurus in Guam

Abstract:  Aggregation pheromone of the Australian population of New Guinea sugarcane weevil, Rhabdoscelus obscurus (Boisduval), in conjunction with other semiochemicals, was used to develop an efficient trapping method for the weevil population in Guam. In a field experiment at Yigo, plastic bucket traps baited with the lure of the Australian R. obscurus population in combination with ethyl acetate and cut sugarcane captured significantly more weevils than traps baited with pheromone + ethyl acetate, pheromone + sugarcane or individual lure components alone. Traps baited with various semiochemical-based lures and treated with insecticide captured significantly greater numbers of weevils than those not treated with insecticide. Traps baited with cut sugarcane caught significantly more weevils than those without sugarcane. Semiochemical-based trapping in weevil management has potential either in mass trapping or as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) programme. Based on the present findings, a future line of work for the control of this weevil is proposed.     

Population dynamics of the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi, infesting jack pine, Pinus banksiana, in Ontario, Canada

1. Eight generations of white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Peck) , infesting the terminal shoots of young jack pine trees, were sampled as larvae, pupae, and adults between 1988 and 1995.
2. The density of adult weevils increased rapidly for the first 3 years of the study, then declined in the next 4 years. Between-generation rates of change in density of weevils were related to mean number of weevils produced per terminal shoot of the host tree. Net increases in population density followed years in which a relatively high number of weevils emerged per terminal shoot and vice versa.
3. The mean number of weevils emerging per terminal shoot was determined by survival of weevils between the end of the larval stage and the successful emergence of adult weevils.
4. There was no clear relationship between survival of the post-feeding stages of the weevil and rates of parasitism or bird predation on these same stages. There was, however, a strong negative relationship between survival of weevils within the terminal shoot and the abundance of the facultative dipteran predator Lonchaea corticis Taylor.
5. The relationship among generational rates of change in populations, survival, and predation was evident irrespective of the age of the trees infested, suggesting that population dynamics of the weevil may be influenced as much by local predation pressure as by physical and biotic changes associated with growth of the young host trees.     

Captures of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in traps associated with different habitats

Programs to eradicate the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, from cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in the United States rely heavily on pheromone traps for monitoring weevil populations in both active and posteradication maintenance programs. Modifications to trapping protocols that increase trap effectiveness should contribute to this eradication effort. Between October 1996 and May 1997 and between September 1997 and April 1998, we compared trap effectiveness, indicated by the numbers of captured weevils, in relation to selected habitat types. Each study period was divided into fall, winter, and spring seasons. Traps were closely associated with seven habitat types, including four types with prominent erect vegetation (brush-lined irrigation canal, brush, sugarcane, and resaca or ox-bow lake) and three types with only low-growing or sparse erect vegetation (irrigation drainage canal, unimproved pasture, and fallow fields). Captures of male and female weevils were statistically similar regardless of season or trapping habitat. Although captures differed significantly among habitats, these differences varied among seasons. Trapping habitats with prominent vegetational features generally produced higher weekly captures of weevils than habitats lacking these features. Also, captures in traps associated with prominent vegetation indicated seasonal differences in weevil activity, with highest captures occurring during the fall. Traps associated with habitats lacking prominent vegetation did not statistically demonstrate seasonal differences. Our results indicate that immediate trap surroundings strongly influence the effectiveness of the boll weevil pheromone trap. These results also suggest that effectiveness of current trapping programs may be improved through purposeful association of traps with selected vegetational features.     

Monitoring the dynamics of orchard colonisation by Anthonomus pomorum in spring

Overwintered adult apple blossom weevils, Anthonomus pomorum (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), colonise apple trees, Malus domestica Borkh. (Rosaceae), in early spring. Information gained from a suitable monitoring technique could serve as a guide to determining the accurate timing for control measures. To assess tree colonisation by flight and crawling, Plexiglas flight traps and commercial screen traps developed for different curculionid species were used. Refuges were mimicked by a newly designed shelter trap based on transparent bubble wrap. The trap catches were contrasted to the limb jarring technique. Microclimate and weather conditions were determined over a trial period of one and a half months. The shelter traps caught a high number of weevils irrespective of weather conditions, and thus performed better than both flight and screen traps. The temperature level within the shelter traps was slightly, but significantly, higher than on the trunk, indicating that weevils exploit microclimatic differences and occupy thermally favourable refuges. The seasonal culmination of colonisation as determined by shelter traps coincided with that as determined by the two methods used to monitor weevil movement towards host trees (flight traps and screen traps). The data indicated that not only flight, but also crawling as quantified by the screen traps contributes substantially to spring colonisation. Captures by all three types of traps over the spring season were significantly positively correlated with each other, but in most respects not with the results of the limb jarring. We conclude that the newly designed shelter trap will be useful for accurately monitoring the seasonal course of colonisation and holds promise for determining the timing of interventions.     

Selection of hibernation sites by Anthonomus pomorum: preferences and ecological consequences

The apple blossom weevil, Anthonomus pomorum (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), has a long period of aestivo-hibernation in the adult stage lasting from summer to early spring of the following year. Potential hibernation sites within an apple orchard consist of high-stem rough-bark trees or dwarf smooth-bark trees. Field release-recapture experiments in 2 consecutive years showed that 64 and 47% of the weevils remained in the vicinity of the release sites in an area of high-stem trees and dwarf trees, respectively. The dispersing weevils moved over an average distance of 5.5 m in the dwarf tree area, as compared to 3.8 m in the high-stem tree area. The prevalent direction of dispersal was along tree rows in both areas. Some weevils displayed, after release in mid-July, a directional dispersal to the adjacent forests. Others, released in the dwarf tree area, dispersed towards the area of high-stem rough-bark apple trees. Experiments simulating various hibernation sites demonstrated that the litter of dry leaves was the most preferred overwintering shelter, yielding a relatively high survival rate. Branches with rough bark ranked second, while branches with smooth bark, grass and pure soil were not favourable for overwintering. Flight tendency in newly emerged weevils of summer generation was significantly higher in June/July than in August/September. This corresponds to the dispersal behaviour in the field. The timing of spring colonisation of apple trees was similar for weevils overwintering within the orchard and for those from outside. These results suggest that modern, dwarf apple orchards offer unfavourable conditions for overwintering, but that the relatively small proportion of weevils which manage to reach the adjacent forests find optimal hibernation sites there.     

Efficient sampling of ground-dwelling arthropods using pitfall traps in arid steppes

Pitfall trapping is probably the most frequently used method for sampling ground-dwelling arthropods. While the capture of specimens in pitfall traps largely depends on the number of individuals in the sampled area, trap design and trapping effort for a given environment, can also affect sampling success. The aim of this study was to determine the best pitfall trapping design for collecting ground-dwelling arthropods in the wind-blown and cold arid steppe areas of Patagonia. We tested four designs of traps, six types of preservative and different times of activation as well as the quantity of traps. Both preservation attributes and sampling efficiency differed between different trap designs and fluids compared. We conclude that in order to obtain reliable data on the structure of a community of ground-dwelling arthropods in Patagonia, at least three pitfall traps per experimental unit are required. In addition, traps should be opened for a minimum of 10 days filled with 300 ml of 30% ethylene glycol. We also suggested the use of a simple trap design (i. e. without funnel or roof). We believe these findings will contribute to more appropriate sampling of the ground dwelling fauna of Patagonia as well as other arid areas, leading to more reliable diversity studies.     

Efficacy of trap and lure types for detection of Agrilus planipennis (Col., Buprestidae) at low density

Development of effective trapping tools for forest pests and evaluating the key components of these tools is necessary to locate early‐stage infestations and develop management responses to them. Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (emerald ash borer) is an introduced pest of ash (Fraxinus spp. L.) in North America. The effectiveness of different trap and lure combinations were tested in areas with low and high density populations of A. planipennis. At low density sites, purple prism traps outperformed green traps and girdled ash trap trees in capture rates (adults per day) and rates of detection of A. planipennis. Also, manuka oil lures, used as a standard lure in a national survey programme, captured higher rates of A. planipennis than did previous standards of girdled ash trap trees. There was no logistic relationship between the detection of A. planipennis on a trap and the diameter of the ash tree from which the trap was suspended, possibly because of the use of artificial lures with these traps. There was also no difference in the mean number of A. lanipennis captured per day between ash species and between vigour rating of ash associated with the traps. However, traps placed in open grown and dominant trees captured more beetles than traps placed in lower canopy class trees. At sites defined as low and high density, there was no difference in the larval density per cm³ of phloem. This suggests that exposure time to A. planipennis has been shorter at those low density sites. By exploiting the trap and tree characteristics that improve A. planipennis capture rates and detection efficacy, there can be future improvement in management of this pest. If detection can occur before infested ash trees exhibit signs and symptoms, there may be a potential for reducing the mortality of ash within stands.     

Multi‐scale ant diversity in savanna woodlands: an intercontinental comparison

Ecological patterns and processes are highly scale‐dependent, but few studies have used standardized methodology to examine how scale dependency varies across continents. This paper examines scale dependency in comparative ant species richness and turnover in savannas of Australia and Brazil, which are well‐matched climatically but whose ant faunas have contrasting biogeographic origins. The study was conducted in savanna woodland near Darwin in northern Australia and Uberlândia in central Brazil. The sampling design consisted of eight 400‐m line transects, four in each continent, with eight pitfall traps located on and around each of 20 trees evenly spaced along each transect. Ant richness and species turnover were compared at three spatial scales: pitfalls associated with a tree, trees within a transect and transects within a savanna. The composition of the Australian and Brazilian savanna ant faunas was broadly similar at the subfamily level, despite the very low proportion of shared genera and species. The ground and arboreal ant faunas were very distinct from each other in both savannas, but especially in Brazil. Overall ant abundance was almost three times higher in Australia than in Brazil, both on the ground and on vegetation, but overall species richness was higher in Brazil (150 species) than in Australia (93). There was no significant difference in the mean number of species per pitfall trap, but the mean species richness was significantly higher in Brazil than in Australia at both the tree and transect scales. We attribute these scale‐dependent intercontinental differences to biogeographical and historical factors in Brazil that have led to a large regional pool of arboreal species of rainforest origin. Our study underlines the importance of biogeographical context when conducting comparative analyses of community structure across biogeographical scales, and highlights the importance of process acting at regional scales in determining species richness in ant communities.     

Sampling Rhodnius neglectus in Mauritia flexuosa palm trees: a field study in the Brazilian savanna

Two sampling methods (manual capture and live-baited adhesive traps) were compared for collecting the bug Rhodnius neglectus Lent (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) from palm trees, Mauritia flexuosa L. (Arecaceae), in the savanna of Brasília DF. R. neglectus was found in 19/50 (38%) of palm trees sampled. The detection rate was much higher by visual inspection and manual capture (18/50=36%) than by our trapping method (5/50=10%), although one tree was found to be positive by trapping but not by manual capture. Bugs collected manually were mostly (146/154=95%) found among the dead organic material in palm crowns. In combination, these sampling techniques are useful for quick detection of triatomine bug infestation in palm trees, especially in areas of high ecological value where the palms should not be cut and dissected, but arboreal Rhodnius are suspected to transmit enzootic Trypanosoma cruzi that might represent a risk of causing human cases of Chagas disease.     

强大小蠹植物源引诱剂林间应用技术

20 0 1～ 2 0 0 2年在山西省榆次区庆城林场对自行研制生产的强大小蠹DendroctomusvalensLeConte植物引诱剂诱芯和诱捕器在林间的应用技术进行了研究 ,并在山西省的 1 3个县、林场悬挂 2 0 0 0个诱捕器开展了强大小蠹发生期监测和大面积诱杀防治推广试验工作。结果显示 ,该诱捕技术对强大小蠹成虫有较好的诱捕效果 ,2 0 0 0个诱捕器在成虫羽化期 61d共诱到大小蠹成虫近 2 0万头 ,可明显降低当代成虫虫口密度。试验表明 ,诱虫数量随林地虫口密度增加而增大 ,诱捕器设置高度对诱虫量有一定影响 ,以悬挂在主干下端距地面 5～ 1 0cm处效果最好。诱捕器之间水平距离建议间隔 1 0 0m为好。     

Progression in field infestation is linked with trapping of coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Col., Scolytidae)

Phenology of the coffee plant and infestation by coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari were studied in relation to trapping of adult females in kairomone-baited traps in a coffee plantation in New Caledonia. In a 0.4 ha coffee field, a group of 27 trees located along a transect beginning at an early infestation point was selected. The number of green, red and dry coffee berries, along with the number of larvae, adult males and females per berry was determined monthly from October 1993 to July 1994. Twelve, red multifunnel traps, each baited with a solution of methanol:ethanol (1:1 ratio, a mean solution release rate of 1 g/day) were placed within the coffee field, along the transect, within the selected trees, grouped in four zones named 1–4. Two additional traps were located outside the plantation.
The proportion of infested berries increased as berry maturity and harvest date approached, while the infestation rate decreased with distance from the epicentre. Over the 10 months of the study, beetle populations increased and spread from the original infestation point across the different zones, according to distance and availability of berries or appropriate physiological status. Traps near the epicentre caught the largest numbers of beetles. Linear relationship between trap catch and infestation level was demonstrated. Traps placed outside the field approached zero catch. Trap catch was highly influenced by rainfall events, and the highest captures coincided with rapidly declining berry numbers on trees. There are good prospects for management of this insect using traps.     

Contrasting Effects of Fire on Arboreal and Ground‐Dwelling Ant Communities of a Neotropical Savanna

Ants are a dominant group in tropical savannas and here we examined the responses of the arboreal and ground‐dwelling ant fauna to a fire in a Neotropical savanna (cerrado) reserve in Central Brazil. Ants were collected using pitfall traps and baits placed in trees and on the ground beneath each tree. Of the 36 trees marked along two transects, half (from each transect) were burned and half not. The same trees were sampled 1 wk before and again 3 and 12 mo after the fire. Rarefaction curves and ordination analyses using data from all trees from each side of each transect indicated that overall ant species richness and composition did not change after fire. Fire, however, reduced the mean number of ant species per tree, and increased the mean number of species on the ground. Fire increased the average abundance of specialist predators, Camponotini, and opportunistic species, and decreased that of arboreal specialists. Changes in the ground‐dwelling fauna were only detected 12 mo after the fire, while those in the arboreal fauna occurred earlier and were no longer apparent 12 mo after the fire. We suggest that these contrasting results represent mainly an indirect response of the ant communities to fire‐induced changes in vegetation. Given the temporary and small scale nature of the effects detected and the overall resilience of the ant fauna, our results indicate that a single fire in the cerrado vegetation does not greatly impact the structure of ant communities in the short term.     

Uraba lugens (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) in New Zealand: pheromone trapping for delimitation and phenology

A synthetic sex pheromone trapping survey of the leaf skeletonizer Uraba lugens Walker (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) demonstrated the unexpectedly widespread distribution of the insect across > 40,000 ha of urban Auckland, New Zealand. A survey of eucalyptus trees planted in parks and other public areas showed a significant spatial correlation between trap catch and breeding populations, validating the trap survey results. Traps in trees showing damage had four-fold higher catches than traps placed in undamaged or nonhost trees, and < 1% of damaged trees with traps failed to catch adult moths. Damage by larval feeding was correlated with male trap catch in the previous generation, offering good prospects for a pest management decision support system, provided that an economic threshold is developed. Catches increased by 3.4-fold in the same georeferenced trapping grid between November and December 2003 and between March and April 2004 across two generations, over the summer. A vertical transect showed that catches increased with height up to the top trap at 13 m (60% of mean tree height). Options for managing the insect will need to overcome the high rate of increase, the rate of spread, and the vertical distribution of the insect on tall eucalyptus trees.     

Field validation of senesced banana leaf extracts for trapping banana weevils on smallholder banana/plantain farms

Palm wine alcohol extract of senesced banana leaf material, Musa spp., was tested for its efficacy in open field trapping of the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus in Ghana from June to August 2015. Modified pitfall and bottle traps were baited with either individual treatments, that is palm alcohol extract, C. sordidus aggregation pheromone or pseudostem or with combinations of extract plus aggregation pheromone or extract plus pseudostem. The combination of extract plus aggregation pheromone was able to lure more weevils into traps compared with the respective individual lures. There was a 2.1-fold increase in mean catch per week when the palm alcohol extract was used in combination with pheromone compared with using pheromone alone, and a corresponding 2.6-fold increase when the extract was used with pseudostem in traps. There was no statistically significant interaction between the palm alcohol extract (presence or absence) and treatment (pheromone or pseudostem), but the best combination for maximal catches of adult banana weevils was a combination of palm alcohol extract with aggregation pheromone. Management of banana weevils with attractive banana leaf extract has important practical applications in parts of the world where other management options are too expensive or commercial treatments are in short supply, but where leaf material is cheap and readily available for local use by smallholder farmers.     

Trap type, chirality of alpha-pinene, and geographic region affect sampling efficiency of root and lower stem insects in pine.

Root and lower stem insects cause significant damage to conifers, vector phytopathogenic fungi, and can predispose trees to bark beetle attacks. The development of effective sampling techniques is an important component in managing these cryptic insects. We tested the effects of trap type and stereochemistry of alpha-pinene, in combination with ethanol, on catches of the root colonizing weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Hylobius spp. [mostly Hylobius pales (Herbst)], and Pachylobius picivorus (Germar), the root colonizing bark beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) Hylastes porculus Erickson, and the lower stem colonizing bark beetle Dendroctonus valens (LeConte). We tested for inter-regional differences by conducting similar field assays in the northern (Wisconsin) and southern (Louisiana) United States. The more effective trap type varied with region. Root weevils were caught primarily in pitfall traps in Wisconsin, whereas they were caught mostly in lower stem flight traps in Louisiana. In Wisconsin, root colonizing bark beetles were also caught primarily in pitfall traps, but lower stem colonizing bark beetles were caught primarily in lower stem flight traps. The root feeding weevils preferred (-) over (+)-alpha-pinene in both regions. Some exceptions relating to trap type or gender occurred in southern populations. The two root and lower stem colonizing bark beetles in Wisconsin showed no preference between (+) and (-)-alpha-pinene in combination with ethanol. No bark beetles were caught in the south. Our results suggest that modifying trap type and enantiomeric ratios of monoterpenes for different insect groups and in different regions can improve sampling efficiency for these important pests.