Evidence for a female‐produced,long range pheromone of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Abstract Volatiles from female Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis, were evaluated as candidate sex pheromone components. Previous studies on ALB have revealed several antennally active compounds from virgin females; however the origins and activity of these compounds were not apparent and require further investigation. We tested the hypothesis that one or more of the ALB contact sex pheromones is a precursor that undergoes abiotic oxidation to yield volatile pheromone components, and evaluated the activity of these compounds using laboratory and field bioassays. Gas chromatography coupled electroantennography detection (GC‐EAD) analysis indicated the presence of three antennally active aldehydes (heptanal, nonanal, and hexadecanal) in female cuticular extracts exposed to ozone or UV and visible light. In laboratory bioassays using a Y‐tube olfactometer, males were preferentially attracted to ozonized female body washes over crude body washes. Similarly, synthetic formulations of these compounds were preferred over controls in the olfactometer. Field trapping experiments conducted from 2006 to 2008 in Ningxia, China showed that synthetic lures of the three aldehydes formulated in a ratio simulating that of virgin females attracted more beetles compared to controls, and that combinations of these aldehydes, linalool oxide, and host kairomones captured more beetles than controls, and captured significantly more males.     

Mating behavior ofPhytoecia rufiventris Gautier (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Sexual behavior between males and females, as well as between males, is described and discussed for the cerambycid beetlePhytoecia rufiventris. The beetles' taxis toward plants taller than average height brings the sexes together from a distance. A male may mount another individual (male or female) and attempt copulation without sex discrimination. The male can discern the sex of another individual only when the terminal part of his abdomen touches the ventral surface of the fifth visible sternite of the latter. No evidence of a sex pheromone is found in this species. Within 1.5–5.5 cm the substrateborne vibrations produced by a moving individual may be the important factor which elicits males to approach a moving individual and attempt copulation. If a female is receptive when a male touches her, he can copulate with her without any courtship display. However, if the female runs away and appears unreceptive, the male will perform courtship displays. Copulation is usually terminated by males. Homosexual behavior between males is discussed.     

New species,new genera,and new records in Cerambycidae from Peru (Coleoptera)

Three new species and two new genera of longhorn beetles are described from Peru: Cosmoplatus polis n. sp. (Pteroplatini), Hemilocallia grishami n. gen., n. sp. (Calliini) and Arabela ramirezi n. gen., n. sp. (Hemilophini). Esmeralda laetifica Bates, 1869 (Prioninae), Stratone transversalis (Chevrolat, 1862) (Cerambycinae), Gymnocerina cratosomoides (Bates, 1862) (Lamiinae), and Trachysomus verrucosus (Olivier, 1795) (Lamiinae) are new records for Peru.     

交配次数对云斑天牛雌虫精子消耗量及产卵量的影响

通过室内饲养观察和解剖云斑天牛雌虫生殖系统,研究了单次和多次交配对云斑天牛雌虫精子数鼍的消耗、产卵量、产卵历期和寿命的影响,并对云斑天牛雌虫生殖系统、精子形态及精子在雌虫生殖系统中的分布动态进行了研究.结果表明,多次交配的云斑天牛雌虫交配一受精腔内的精子数量长期保持在80万个左右,而单次交配的云斑天牛雌虫交配一受精腔内...     

Olfactory Sex Attraction and Mating Behaviour in the Pine Sawyer Monochamus galloprovincialis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The pine sawyer Monochamus galloprovincialis Olivier (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a vector of the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer) Nickle. Male and females of this species have a kairomonal attraction to host volatiles and Ips semiochemicals. Once on the host tree, males and females copulate and oviposition occurs. Bioassays using Y-tube olfactometry revealed that females were attracted to volatile compounds produced by males, but not to volatiles produced by females. However, immature males did not seem to release attractants for mature females and immature females did not show any attraction for mature males. A experiment designed to know about mating behaviour in this specie revealed that most of the males encountered females while they were walking. In all pairs both sexes contacted with antennae before copulation, however, in some occasions copulation did not proceed just after antennal contact. On the contrary, in all pairs observed, the male licked the elytra of the female with his mouth palpi just before copulation (licking); immediately afterwards, the male grabbed the female with his forelegs and mounted her suggesting a chemically mediated mate recognition by males.     

Electrophysiological responses of Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) adults to plant volatiles

The olfactory stimuli from the maturation feeding‐plant, Rosa multiflora Thunb., and larval‐host plant, Populus deltoides, of the longhorned beetle, Batocera horsfieldi (Hope), were investigated by using TCT‐GC/MS (Thermal desorption and cold trap, and GC/MS) and electroantennogram recordings (EAG). A total of 20 plant compounds were identified from plant headspace volatile, including aliphatic, aromatic and terpenoid compounds. Five compounds were common to both plants. Eight compounds eliciting strong EAG response were E‐3‐hexenyl acetate, 3‐carene, 1‐penten‐3‐ol, 3‐pentanol, Z‐2‐penten‐1‐ol, hexanal and E‐2‐hexenal. Female and male B. horsfieldi exhibited broad overlap in their EAG responses to individual plant odour, and there was no clear pattern of difference between responses of female and male antennae to different compounds. Mating status had little effect on the EAG responses of females.     

Mating behavior ofXylotrechus pyrrhoderus Bates (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) V. Female mounting behavior

Female mounting behavior was observed in the grape borerXylotrechus pyrrhoderus Bates (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) under laboratory conditions. This behavior was directed towards either females (i.e., female homosexual mounting) or males. The female homosexual mounting was strongly elicited in females which had previously been allowed to fly. The frequency of this behavior was not related to the experience of mating. The investigation of the daily temporal pattern in female homosexual mounting activity indicated that the behavior most frequently occurred between 12∶00 and 16∶00, i.e., when females were searching for the pheromone-releasing males. Oviposition was also observed during this time interval. A detailed analysis revealed female mounting behaviors which are characteristic of male mounting behaviors, such as chasing conspecifics and synchronism of licking and abdominal bending. On the other hand, the frequency of male homosexual mounting was lower than that of females. Taken together with cases of other species previously reported, the expression of mounting behavior in females may be related to the evolution of the reproductive system, in which females approach their mates.     

Environmental contamination with Metarhizium anisopliae from fungal bands for control of the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Our objective was to determine whether conidia from non-woven fiber bands impregnated with Metarhizium anisopliae F 52 could be spread to other parts of the environment, and whether Anoplophora glabripennis could become infected with conidia dispersed from fungal bands. In the field, bands containing M. anisopliae were hung at 3 m height on 15 trees. Bark samples were taken 10, 20, and 30 cm above the bands and 10, 30, and 60 cm below the bands 2, 5, and 9 days after band placement to quantify conidial densities. There were more conidia in samples taken below bands compared with samples taken above bands. A significant positive correlation was found between rainfall and the occurrence of conidia on any of the bark samples. A laboratory study was conducted to determine whether conidia from M. anisopliae fungal bands could be spread to other parts of the environment by A. glabripennis adults and whether A. glabripennis could become infected by conidia dispersed from fungal bands. One or five adult A. glabripennis were used to contaminate artificial environments with conidia. All adults subsequently exposed to contaminated environments were killed by fungal infection. Beetles exposed to environments that had been contaminated by five beetles died in fewer days compared with environments contaminated by one beetle. Beetles in both density treatments died in fewer days than beetles exposed to environments without M. anisopliae conidia. Our results indicate that environmental contamination with conidia from fungal bands can occur, and that adult A. glabripennis can acquire infection from a contaminated environment.     

Field studies of control of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) using fiber bands containing the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria brongniartii

The Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis, was first found attacking urban street trees in the United States in 1996 and in Canada in 2003. This tree-killing invasive insect has long been a major pest in China and is difficult to control because immature stages live within wood and long-lived adults are often located high in tree canopies. A microbial control product (Biolisa Kamikiri) consisting of non-woven fiber bands impregnated with cultures of an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria brongniartii, is marketed in Japan for control of a congeneric orchard pest. Replicated field trials were conducted in Anhui, China to compare Biolisa Kamikiri with similarly prepared bands containing Metarhizium anisopliae for control of A. glabripennis. One fungal band was placed at 2–2.5 m height, around the stem or major scaffold branch on each of 40 willow trees (Salix spp.) per plot, with five plots for each fungal treatment and five control plots. Adult beetles collected from fungal-treated plots 7–22 days after bands were attached to trees died faster than adults from control plots. Beetles exposed to B. brongniartii bands consistently died faster than controls throughout this period, while results from plots with M. anisopliae bands were not as consistent in differing from controls. Numbers of adult beetles from plots of each fungal species dying in <10 days were greater than controls (16% of beetles) but did not differ between fungal treatments (34–35%). Oviposition in fungal-treated plots was approximately half that in control plots. Locations of adult beetles and oviposition scars within tree canopies were quantified to determine optimal locations for band placement. Most adult beetles were found >3.5-m high in trees, with adults in B. brongniartii-treated plots higher within trees than adults in other plots.     

两种对云斑天牛有林间诱捕效果的植物源物质

【目的】为了探明对云斑天牛Batocera horsfieldi(Hope)有效的引诱物质。【方法】研究了云斑天牛对白蜡树、山核桃、黄山栾树和野蔷薇4种寄主植物的室内取食偏好性,采用动态顶空吸附法结合气相色谱-质谱联用技术(GC-MS)分析了植物挥发物成分,然后利用触角电位-气相色谱联用技术(GC-EAD)测定植物挥发物对云斑天牛触角的反应,最后对相关化合物进行了野外诱捕试验。【结果】结果表明:云斑天牛最喜欢取食的寄主植物是白蜡树,其次是黄山栾树和山核桃,野蔷薇没有取食;寄主植物挥发物成分中,萜烯类和烷烃类等物质占主要成分,不同寄主植物的挥发物中多种成分存在显著性差异;壬醛引起了云斑天牛显著的GC-EAD反应;最后,林间诱捕试验结果显示,顺-3-己烯醇和壬醛分别在林间诱捕到了一定量的云斑天牛,并且都是雄虫,同时顺-3-己烯醇还诱捕到了星天牛Anoplophora chinensis(Forster)。【结论】试验结果说明,顺-3-己烯醇和壬醛是两种对云斑天牛具有林间引诱效果的植物源物质,同时,顺-3-己烯醇是云斑天牛和星天牛共享的植物源引诱物质。     

Deterred oviposition response of Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to oviposition scars occupied by eggs

1 The oviposition behaviour and response of Monochamus alternatus females to oviposition scars were investigated in the laboratory. 2 Prior to oviposition, females gnawed at the bark surface of Pinus densiflora bolts to make a wound. Then females turned their bodies 180° to position their ovipositors over the wounds and inserted them under the bark through the wounds. After an oviposition, a jelly was deposited while the ovipositor was still inserted. The females then withdrew their ovipositors and rubbed the oviposition scars with the tips of their abdomens. 3 When searching females encountered oviposition scars, they stopped walking and drummed the surface and inside of the oviposition scars with their maxillary and labial palpi. 4 Eighty-six percent of females left oviposition scars containing single eggs after the palpation. By contrast, when females encountered oviposition scars containing no eggs, 76% of them began to gnaw at the scars and 64% deposited single eggs. The response to artificial oviposition scars was similar to that to vacant oviposition scars made by the females. 5 The results of various observations and experiments showed that the females could recognize oviposition scars and discriminate the scars occupied by single eggs from vacant ones, and suggested that the palpation of oviposition scars was the critical discrimination behaviour, indicating mediation by chemical cues.     

Mating behavior ofXylotrechus pyrrhoderus Bates (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). VI mating system

Observations made in an outdoor cage showed that most pairings of the grape borerXylotrechus pyrrhoderus Bates were formed via inflight orientation of females towards pheromone-releasing males. The male sex pheromone induced orientation behavior in flying females, as well as walking approaches and prolonged lingering periods near the pheromone source in alighting females. When an approaching female failed to elicit any response in a male (e.g., when the male was copulating), she touched and sometimes mounted him. This behavior stimulated the males and often resulted in successful copulation. The male usually inseminated the second female, and the male's fitness increased when the second mating occurred more than 5 min after the start of the firt mating. These results suggest that male-like behavior in females (i.e., approaching and mounting behavior) has biological significance. The grape borer sometimes forms pairs via incidental encounters of the sexes. This is the same as the prevailing mating system of cerambycids. It is suggested that the male sex pheromonemediated mating system of the grape borer developed from the prevailing system of cerambycid groups.     

云斑天牛在白蜡树上的发生与防治研究

云斑天牛Batocera horsfieldi(Hope)是白蜡树上近年来新出现的一种蛀干害虫。在东营市的市区绿化中危害日趋严重,目前其受害率达到10％强,成为白蜡树上继“窄吉丁虫”为害后的又一主要蛀干害虫。该虫2—3年完成1代,以第1年幼虫和第2年成虫,在主干或主干分叉处的蛀道内越冬。主要危害胸径8cm以上生长的白蜡树,在树干根基部30cm以下,或在主干分叉处蛀食为害,并常引起“风折木”。在9月下旬进行注药和4月上旬进行埋药防治,控制效果可达90％以上。     

Mating behavior ofFlorinda coccinea (Hentz) (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

We studied the courtship and copulation ofFlorinda coccinea (Hentz) and described 18 behavioral acts for this species.F. coccinea exhibits many behaviors typical of the Linyphiidae such as web reduction, abdominal vibration, palpal jabbing, stridulation, pseudocopulation, and prolonged copulation. The numbers of palpal insertions during pseudocopulation and copulation are positively correlated to the durations of these phases. Pseudocopulation requires over three times more time on average than copulation, although females copulate longer than is required for fertilization. We found no correlation between the durations of pseudocopulation or copulation and fitness characters, and we hypothesize that lengthy pseudocopulation and copulation may function as a form of internal courtship.     

Development of interspecific recognition behavior in the antsManica rubida andFormica selysi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) reared in mixed-species groups

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of early social experience on the ontogeny of kin and nestmate recognition in ants by means of both behavioral and chemical analysis. Workers of two ant species,Manica rubida (Myrmicinae) andFormica selysi (Formicinae), were reared in homospecific groups (control) or in artificial heterospecific groups (mixed), created less than 5 h after their emergence. Recognition was evaluated between unfamiliar individuals of different species reared in control and mixed groups for periods of 5, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h and 8, 15, 30, 60, or 90 days after emergence. Heterospecifically reared individuals of both species gradually became tolerant of allospecific individuals from control groups. Moreover, homospecifically reared individuals did not aggress allospecific individuals reared in mixed groups. During the course of familiarization between the species, there were modifications of the chemical recognition signals. In mixed groups, hydrocarbon profiles of both species acquire gradually some of the components characteristic of their heterospecific nestmates. These experiments showed that allospecific recognition required the acquisition of a minimal quantity of allospecific cues. The phenomenon provided an another example of the relationship between tolerance and the chemical cues displayed by both species. The results suggested that the individual recognized the allospecific cues borne on each individual's body surface and/or that each individual learned and memorized allospecific cues during its early life. Therefore, each individual might develop a template encoding the allospecific and the conspecific cues to characterize nestmates.     

Mating behaviour in Moina brachiata (Jurine, 1820) (Crustacea,Anomopoda)

Information on mating behaviour in Anomopoda isavailable for very few species only, though matelocation and recognition certainly play an importantrole in maintaining reproductive isolation betweenspecies. Ephippial females and males of Moinabrachiata were observed in a drop of water under amicroscope for 10–20 minutes. Different combinationsof specimens were used, but copulation was onlyobserved when two males and two ephippial females wereplaced together. Males were very active, and oftentried to grasp a female, whereas females usually madeattempts to escape during the entire period of mating.Three phases were recognized: capture, positioning andcopulation. The male captured the female from thedorsal side, then moved to the ventral side and tooka position with its length axis being perpendicular tothat of the female, forming a sort of cross.Thereafter the pair started rotating around the lengthaxis of the female, while the male pushed thepostabdomen into the females brood pouch. Copulationlasted from 16 to 25 seconds. When different kinds offemales were used, males showed preference forephippial females with an empty ephippium and enlargedovaries. Our results indicate that not only visual andtactile cues may be important in identifying speciesidentity and receptivity of the female, but alsochemical signals.     

星天牛幼虫龄期的划分

本文测量了人工饲养的星天牛Anoplophora chinensis(Forster)幼虫的9个形态结构数据,运用频次分布、均差分析和回归分析对测量数据进行统计分析,结果表明,星天牛幼虫可分5龄,其额宽是最佳的分龄结构,其次是上颚长和上颚宽。     

Diverse cuticular hydrocarbons from Australian canebeetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Abstract  Cuticular hydrocarbon components in beetles of six Australian melolonthines whose larvae damage sugarcane, Antitrogus parvulus (Britton), A. consanguineus (Blackburn), Lepidiota negatoria (Blackburn), L. picticollis (Lea), L. noxia (Britton) and Dermolepida alborhirtum (Arrow), are identified and compared. These species demonstrate species-specific cuticular hydrocarbon profiles with a number of unprecedented structures. Major components have been identified as polymethylated hydrocarbons, 3-methyl substituted n -alkanes, 9,10-allenes and the corresponding C9 alkenes. The similarity of these compounds shows some correlation with the phylogeny of the beetles, but two polymethylated C₂₂ hydrocarbons are unique to A. parvulus. One C₂₅ allene is shown to have a potential role in mate recognition in A. consanguineus.     

Mating behavior of Diabrotica speciosa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) is an economically important pest of Neotropical cultures and represents a quarantine risk for Neartic and Paleartic Regions. Despite its agricultural importance, few studies have been done on mating behavior and chemical communication, which has delayed the development of behavioral techniques for population management, such as the use of pheromone traps. In this study, we determined 1) the age at first mating; 2) diel rhythm of matings; 3) number of matings over 7 d; 4) the sequence of D. speciosa activities during premating, mating, and postmating; 5) the duration of each activity; and 6) response to male and female conspecific volatiles in Y-tube olfactometer. The first mating occurred between the third and seventh day after adult emergence and the majority of pairs mated on the fourth day after emergence. Pairs of D. speciosa showed a daily rhythm of mating with greater sexual activity between the end of the photophase and the first half of the scotophase. During the 7 d of observation, most pairs mated only once, although 30% mated two, three, or four times. In a Y-tube olfactometer, males were attracted by virgin females as well as by the volatile compounds emitted by females. Neither males nor their volatiles were attractive to either sex. Our observation provide information about mating behavior of D. speciosa, which will be useful in future research in chemical communication, such as identification of the pheromone and development of management techniques for this species using pheromone traps.     

Contact Pheromones as Mate Recognition Cues of Four Species of Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

We tested the hypothesis that contact phermones mediate mate recognition for four species of longhorned beetles, Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (F.), Megacyllene caryae (Gahan), Megacyllene robiniae (Forster), and Plectrodera scalator (F.). All tested males of all four species attempted to mate with females only after contacting them with their antennae. From 66.7 to 80% of tested males attempted to mate with hexane-extracted dead females treated with 0.1–1.0 female equivalents of conspecific female extracts, confirming that nonpolar compounds on the cuticle of females are essential for mate recognition in all four species. These findings are further evidence of the critical role of contact pheromones in mating systems of longhorned beetles.