Feeding and oviposition preference of the Sakhalin pine sawyer Monochamus saltuarius (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) for various tree species

Monochamus saltuarius was recently identified as an important vector of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the cause of pine wilt disease. In this study, M. saltuarius adults preferred different species of tree based on the longevity, ingested amount and wounded area that were determined for 90 d. Among eight tree species, the longevity of feeding by M. saltuarius was not significantly different except when feeding in Sciadopitys verticillata. However, the highest ingested amounts with the largest wounded areas were associated with Pinus koraiensis. The highest oviposition preference was in P. densiflora for the first 20 d. However, after 40 d, the oviposition highest preference was noted in P. koraiensis. For oviposition activities, M. saltuarius preferred the tree species in the following order: P. densiflora > P. koraiensis > P. rigida > Larix leptolepis. Although many oviposition scars were observed, M. saltuarius laid fewer eggs in P. rigida than other species of pine, which was related to the bark thickness. The oviposition frequencies were highest with bark 2.0–2.5 mm thick and with tree diameters of 110–130 mm. The current study increased understanding of the ecology of M. saltuarius by identifying specific tree preferences.