Screening spruce for white pine weevil resistance


Ghost trial: studies using caged insects clarified the mating system of weevils

Photo showing ghost trial of caged insects

Studies conducted by Kornelia Lewis, Yousry El-Kassaby and René Alfaro disclosed that weevils can live more than one year and are able to lay fertile eggs in the second season without mating again. Females were able to store sperm from several males through the overwintering period. Thus, dispersing female weevils mated only in the first year of life can start an outbreak in the second year without participation of the male. This makes outbreak development much more likely.


Project status

  • On-going

Team members