Exotic Bark and Ambrosia Beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

in the United States:Current and Potential Invaders

Robert A. Haack & Robert J. RabagliaUSDA Forest Service

Northern Research StationEast Lansing, MIrhaack@fs.fed.us

USDA Forest ServiceForest Health Protection

Arlington, VAbrabaglia@fs.fed.us

BackgroundBackground>500 exotic insects feed on woody plants,

including at least

59 Scolytidae (now Scolytinae)

10 Buprestidae,

12 Cerambycidae, and

3 Siricidae

Coleoptera (Beetles)Scolytidae: bark & ambrosia beetles (>6,000 W, >560 NA)Voltinism: 1 month up to 1-2 yrs per generation

Bark beetle adults and larvae feed on the inner bark of trees. .

Ambrosia beetle adults and larvae bore into the wood and feed on fungus.

Nutritional Ecology of Nutritional Ecology of BarkBark-- and woodand wood--feeding insectsfeeding insects

Most feed in the inner bark and sapwood.

Nutrient-richness: cambium > inner bark (phloem) > sapwood (xylem)

> outer bark and heartwood (xylem)

Phloem:Phloem: downward movement of sugars

Xylem:Xylem: upward movement of water & minerals

Bark beetles and Ambrosia beetles

Breeding Habits

Outbreeding species• Monogamy (Tomicus)• Harem polygyny (Ips)

Inbred species (ambrosia beetles)• Inbred polygyny (mother-son, brother-sister)• Males usually small and

flightless• Single females can

establish

Bark beetles and Ambrosia beetles

Feeding Habits– Phloeophagy (phloem, true bark beetles)

– Xylomycetophagy (fungus, ambrosia beetles)

– Herbiphagy (herbaceous plants)

– Myelophagy (pith of twigs)

– Spermophagy (seeds)

– Xylophagy (wood)

Year or 1st Collection or Reportfor 59 Exotic Scolytids in the

Continental USDecade – Number

1800 – 0 1900 – 11810 – 1 1910 - 71820 – 0 1920 - 11830 – 0 1930 - 51840 – 0 1940 - 41850 – 0 1950 - 11860 – 3 1960 - 11870 – 3 1970 - 41880 – 0 1980 - 71890 – 0 1990 - 8

2000 – 112010 - 2

Exotic Scolytids Established in North AmericaExotic Scolytids Established in North AmericaArea of OriginArea of Origin

CONTINENTEuropeEurasiaAsiaAfricaS. America

TOTAL5

12 29111

59Bark Beetles

22%Ambrosia

Beetles 42%Seed & twig Beetles 36%

Coccotrypes advenaCoccotrypes advena Phloeosinus armatusPhloeosinus armatusHylastes opacusHylastes opacus Euwallacea validusEuwallacea validusAmbrosiophilus atratusAmbrosiophilus atratus Xyleborus pelliculosusXyleborus pelliculosusCoccotrypes vulgarisCoccotrypes vulgaris Dryoxylon onoharaensumDryoxylon onoharaensumAmbrosiodmus lewisiAmbrosiodmus lewisi Pityogenes bidentatusPityogenes bidentatusTomicus piniperdaTomicus piniperda Coccotrypes rutshurensisCoccotrypes rutshurensisXyleborus pfeiliXyleborus pfeili Hylurgus ligniperdaHylurgus ligniperdaHypothenemus setosusHypothenemus setosus Xyleborinus alniXyleborinus alniXylosandrus mutilatusXylosandrus mutilatus

Tyrpodendron domestictum Tyrpodendron domestictum Hylurgops palliatusHylurgops palliatus Orthotomicus erosusOrthotomicus erosusXyleborus glabratusXyleborus glabratus ****** Xyleborus seriatusXyleborus seriatusXyleborus similisXyleborus similis Anisandrus maicheAnisandrus maicheEuwallacea fornicatusEuwallacea fornicatus Xyleborinus octiesdenatusXyleborinus octiesdenatusScolytus schevyrewiScolytus schevyrewi Xyleborinus andrewesiXyleborinus andrewesiXylosandrus amputatusXylosandrus amputatus Dactylotrypes longicollisDactylotrypes longicollis

New Scolytids Since the 1980sAmbrosia beetles in red 1980s

1990s

2000s

24 Exotic Scolytids Discovered During 1985-2010

1 Exotic2 Exotics3 Exotics4 Exotics

First found in 14 states

24 Scolytids15 ambrosia beetles9 bark beetles

Note: 2 other exoticambrosia beetles have been found in Florida in the past decade. But they are Caribbeanspecies and may reflect natural spread.

Haack RA. 2001. Intercepted Scolytidae (Coleoptera) at U.S. ports of entry: 1985 – 2000. Integrated Pest Management Reviews 6: 253-282.

Source (PIN database. Now called PestID)6825 scolytid interceptions5076 (74%) were identified to at least the genus level49 identified genera

The 10 most frequently intercepted genera were

Hypothenemus (821) Hylurgops (327) Pityogenes (662), Hylurgus (266) Ips (544) Tomicus (194) Coccotrypes (520) Dryocoetes (166)Orthotomicus (461) Hylastes (142)

Scolytid Interceptions at US Ports: 1985-2000

USA:USA: BarkBark-- & wood& wood--infesting insect interceptions on infesting insect interceptions on Wood from 119 countries during 1985Wood from 119 countries during 1985--20002000

Source: USDA APHIS Port Information Network

Top 10ItalyGermany ChinaSpainBelgiumRussiaIndiaMexicoFranceUK

Mexico:Mexico: Insect interceptions on Wood from Insect interceptions on Wood from 25 countries during 1994 25 countries during 1994 –– May 2005May 2005

Top 10ChinaIndiaIndonesiaMalaysiaUSAThailandTaiwanPhilippinesBrazilSingapore

Source: SEMARNATDirección General de Gestión Forestal y SuelosDirección de Sanidad Forestal

Chile:Chile: Insect interceptions on WoodInsect interceptions on Woodfrom 38 countries during 1995 from 38 countries during 1995 –– 19991999

Top 10USA BrazilGermanyArgentinaItalyIndiaPeruColombiaEcuadorSpain Source: Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero

# Species Exported to:Bark Beetles:

Phloeosinus 1 S. AmericaDendroctonus 1 AsiaIps 2 Asia & AustraliaOrthotomicus 1 AustraliaPolygraphus 1 AfricaPseudohylesinus 1 AsiaMicroborus 1 Africa

Ambrosia Beetles:Gnathotrichus 1 EuropeMonarthrum 1 Europe

10 Scolytids Exported from North America

Redbay Ambrosia BeetleXyleborus glabratus

Discovered: 2002 in GAOrigin: Asia

Vectors a pathogenic fungusRaffaelea laurelensisDisease - Laurel wilt

Killing trees in the Laurel Family (Lauraceae) such as:

Redbay (Persea)Avocado (Persea)Camphor (Cinnamomum)Pondspice (Litsea)Spicebush (Lindera)Sassafras (Sassafras)

Now in FL, GA , MS, SC

Ecological concerns?

Thousand Cankers DiseaseFirst found: Colorado in 2003Host: primarily black walnut (Juglans nigra)Pathogen: a new fungus, Geosmithia morbida Native vector: walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorous juglandis)Found in Tennessee in 2010

Control TacticsControl TacticsPrevention is your best optionPrevention is your best option

Chemical (sprays, systemics)

Autocidal (Pheromones, kairomones)

Biological (Predators, parasitoids)

Physical (debarking, soaking, burning)

Cultural (timing of logging, rotation age)

Regulatory & Quarantine (Tomicus piniperda)

Canada Belize

Haack RA, Petrice TR, Wiedenhoeft AC. 2010. Incidence of bark- and wood-boring insects in firewood: a survey at Michigan’s Mackinac Bridge. Journal of Economic Entomology 103: 1682-1692.

Inspected 1045 pieces.> 21 tree genera.36% no prior infestation41% prior borer infestation23% contained live borers

Based on 322 interviews with drivers who dropped off firewood during 2006-2009,266 (83%) of the vehicles originated from within Michigan.

Where did the firewood originate from?

17 other US states(52 vehicles)

3 Canadian provinces (4 vehicles)

5 Recent Agrilus Discoveries in the USAgrilus sulcicollis European Oak BorerHosts: QuercusMI – 2003Origin - Europe

Agrilus coxalisGoldspotted

Oak BorerHosts: QuercusCA – 2004Origin: AZ or MXFirewood? Agrilus prionurus

Soapberry BorerHosts: SapindusTX – 2003Origin – MexicoFirewood?

Agrilus subrobustusMimosa BorerHosts: AlbiziaGA – 2006Origin - Asia

Agrilus planipennis Emerald Ash BorerHosts: QuercusMI – 2002Origin - Asia

ISPM 15 = Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging ISPM 15 = Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International TradeMaterial in International Trade

ISPM = International Standards for Phytosanitary MeasuresISPM = International Standards for Phytosanitary MeasuresAn international standard to reduce the risk of

introducing pests associated with WPM.

Heat treatment (HT) and Methyl Bromide fumigation (MB) are the two currently approved treatments.

Approved in 2002. The US started enforcement in 2006.

Revised in 2009 – size limits on residual bark