Canadian Forest Service Publications

Year: 2014

Available from: Atlantic Forestry Centre

Catalog ID: 36314

Language: English

CFS Availability: PDF (request by e-mail)

Abstract

Linalool and camphene were tested in field trials to determine their effect on capture of the exotic brown spruce longhorn beetle, Tetropium fuscum (F.) and the native Tetropium cinnamopterum Kirby (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in intercept panel traps. Neither compound, by itself or in combination with spruce volatiles and the aggregation pheromone fuscumol, significantly increased mean catch of either species

Plain Language Summary

The brown spruce longhorn beetle, Tetropium fuscum (F.), (BSLB) is an invasive forest pest from Europe that has been established in Nova Scotia since at least 1990 and is slowly spreading eastward. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency uses traps baited with pheromone (fuscumol) and spruce volatiles (one “spruce blend” lure that emits a blend of five turpentine-like compounds plus another lure that emits ethanol) in annual surveys to determine the areas infested by the BSLB and then restricts movement of spruce logs from the infested area in an effort to reduce artificial spread of the BSLB. This investigation was carried out to determine if we could increase the efficacy of survey traps for detecting the BSLB in low density populations. Linalool and camphene are volatile compounds emitted by spruce trees that we knew (from previous studies) that the BSLB could smell, i.e., their antennae responded to the chemicals electrophysiologically. We also knew that linalool attracted BSLB in laboratory tests in which adult beetles were given a choice between linalool and a blank control stimulus; most beetles walked upwind toward the linalool. Nothing was known about the possible effects of camphene on BSLB behavior. We conducted three field experiments testing the effect of linalool and camphene on the numbers of BSLB and Tetropium cinnamopterum Kirby, a North American species, captured in traps. Neither compound, by itself or in combination with the operational survey lure (i.e., fuscumol, spruce blend and ethanol) significantly increased mean catch of either species, so would have no practical application for BSLB surveys.