How to translate text using browser tools
16 September 2020 Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Communities and Frass Production in ‘Ōhi‘a (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) Infected With Ceratocystis (Microascales: Ceratocystidaceae) Fungi Responsible for Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death
Kylle Roy, Kelly A. Jaenecke, Robert W. Peck
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD) is a deadly disease that is threatening the native Hawaiian keystone tree species, ‘ōhi‘a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha Gaudich). Ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and their frass are hypothesized to play a major role in the spread of ROD, although their ecological niches and frass production within trees and across the landscape are not well understood. We characterized the beetle communities and associated frass production from bolts (tree stem sections) representative of entire individual ‘ōhi‘a trees from multiple locations across Hawai‘i Island by rearing beetles and testing their frass for viable ROD-causing fungi. Additionally, we estimated frass production for three beetle species by weighing their frass over time. We found that Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzburg), Xyleborus affinis Eichhoff, Xyleborus ferrugineus (Fabricius), Xyleborus perforans (Wollaston), and Xyleborus simillimus Perkins were commonly found on ROD-infected ‘ōhi‘a and each produced frass containing viable Ceratocystis propagules. The Hawai‘i Island endemic beetle and the only native ambrosia beetle associated with ‘ōhi‘a, X. simillimus, was limited to high elevations and appeared to utilize similar tree heights or niche dimensions as the invasive X. ferrugineus. Viable Ceratocystis propagules expelled in frass were found throughout entire tree bole sections as high as 13 m. Additionally, we found that X. ferrugineus produced over 4× more frass than X. simillimus. Our results indicate the ambrosia beetle community and their frass play an important role in the ROD pathosystem. This information may help with the development and implementation of management strategies to control the spread of the disease.

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2020. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
Kylle Roy, Kelly A. Jaenecke, and Robert W. Peck "Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Communities and Frass Production in ‘Ōhi‘a (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) Infected With Ceratocystis (Microascales: Ceratocystidaceae) Fungi Responsible for Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death," Environmental Entomology 49(6), 1345-1354, (16 September 2020). https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa108
Received: 5 June 2020; Accepted: 6 August 2020; Published: 16 September 2020
JOURNAL ARTICLE
10 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
Ceratocystis
frass
Metrosideros
Rapid Ohia Death
Scolytinae
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top