Attraction of ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera : Scolytidae) to different tropical pine species in Brazil

Ambrosia beetles are the predominant Scolytidae in Brazil. Little is known about the attractiveness of exotic conifer tree volatiles to native scolyti ds. Objectives were to compare the attractiveness of logs with and without bark of Pinus oocarpa Schiede, P. caribaea variety bahamensis Barrett & Gol fari, P, car. variety caribaea Barrett & Golfari and P. car. variety hondur ensis Barrett & Golfari over time to native scolytids in different pine sta nds, to compare the relative attractiveness of logs relative to ethanol tra ps, to determine how long it takes for logs to become attractive to ambrosi a beetles and when attraction peaks occur, and to determine if volatiles re leased by live standing trees would mask volatiles released by logs of the same species. In young stands, Hypothenemus was the predominant insect genu s, whereas in older stands Xyleborus predominated. Debarked logs trapped mo re beetles than logs with bark. Pine log species attractiveness was not inf luenced by volatiles present in the stand. Beetles were divided into the fo llowing 3 groups, based on response to log volatiles and ethanol: (1) speci es attracted to ethanol and not responding to pine terpenes Ambrosiodmus ha gedorni (Iglesia), A. retusus (Eichhoff), X. spinulosus Blandford, Corthylu s schaufussi Schiede, Cryptocarenus heveae (Hagedorn), H. obscurus (F.), (2 ) species attracted to ethanol but responding to pine terpenes Xyleborinus gracilis (Eichhoff), X. affinis Eichhoff, H. eruditus Westwood, Premnobius cavipennis Eichhoff, and (3) species more attracted to pine terpenes and le ss responsive to ethanol, A. obliquus (Le Conte), X. ferrugineus F,, X. cat ulus Blandford. Pinus car. ;variety bahamensis was the least attractive pin e, P. oocarpa the most attractive. The attraction peak varied according to the season; logs were not attractive to beetles 10 wk after cutting.