INFLUENCE OF AGGREGATION INHIBITORS (VERBENONE AND IPSDIENOL) ON LANDING AND ATTACK BEHAVIOR OF DENDROCTONUS-BREVICOMIS (COLEOPTERA, SCOLYTIDAE)

The influence of the aggregation inhibitors verbenone and ipsdienol on the response of western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis, to attractive host trees was investigated. Paired ponderosa pine trees (Pinus ponderosa) were baited with aggregation semiochemicals to stimulate mass attack. One tree in each pair received an inhibitor treatment consisting of five sets of two verbenone and two ipsdienol dispensers spaced 1 m apart vertically along the tree bole. Beetle landing was monitored with sticky traps on the tree bole, and attack density was assessed from bark samples removed four or seven days after baiting. The inhibitor treatment resulted in a significant reduction of both the numbers of beetles landing on trees and the density of attacking beetles compared to control trees (without inhibitors). The ratios of beetle landing density to attacking density were not different between inhibitor-treated and control trees, nor were the vertical distributions of beetles landing or attacking, suggesting that beetle behavior was primarily influenced at a longer range, prior to landing on the tree. Although the application of verbenone and ipsdienol did not prevent D. brevicomis from attacking baited trees, our results suggest that when applied to unattacked (and unbaited) trees, their effectiveness at reducing the attack pressure might allow trees having a certain amount of resistance to survive attack by pioneer beetles.