INFLUENCE OF WHITE-PINE WATERING REGIMES ON FEEDING PREFERENCES OF SPRING AND FALL ADULTS OF THE WHITE-PINE WEEVIL PISSODES-STROBI (PECK)

Spring and fall adults of the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Peck ), were exposed in no-choice and two-choice tests to bark from water-s tressed and non-water-stressed white pine (Pinus strobus L.), which ha d also been exposed or not exposed to weevil attack. This experiment d emonstrated that the weevils could discriminate between bark from wate r-stressed white pine and preferred bark from the nonstressed plants. The weevils also preferred bark from nonstressed plants that were prev iously exposed to weevil damage. Spring and fall adults displayed the same feeding preferences. No sex differences were found in feeding pre ferences. Less nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were found in bark from the nonstressed plants, and the potassium level was higher in dam aged plants. We expect that the biological performance of the weevil s hould be favored by vigorously growing plants rather than by stressed plants.