Bracalini, M.; Florenzano, G.T.; Panzavolta, T. Verbenone Affects the Behavior of Insect Predators and Other Saproxylic Beetles Differently: Trials Using Pheromone-Baited Bark Beetle Traps. Insects2024, 15, 260.
Bracalini, M.; Florenzano, G.T.; Panzavolta, T. Verbenone Affects the Behavior of Insect Predators and Other Saproxylic Beetles Differently: Trials Using Pheromone-Baited Bark Beetle Traps. Insects 2024, 15, 260.
Bracalini, M.; Florenzano, G.T.; Panzavolta, T. Verbenone Affects the Behavior of Insect Predators and Other Saproxylic Beetles Differently: Trials Using Pheromone-Baited Bark Beetle Traps. Insects2024, 15, 260.
Bracalini, M.; Florenzano, G.T.; Panzavolta, T. Verbenone Affects the Behavior of Insect Predators and Other Saproxylic Beetles Differently: Trials Using Pheromone-Baited Bark Beetle Traps. Insects 2024, 15, 260.
Abstract
In our study, we assessed the effects of verbenone, the most widely studied bark beetle aggregation inhibitor, on saproxylic beetles of a Mediterranean pine forest in Tuscany. Verbenone pouches were devised in the laboratory and then applied to Ips sexdentatus pheromone traps so that catches could be compared to those of traps with just the bait. The trial was carried out in spring-summer 2023, collecting insect catches every two weeks. A total of 9440 beetles were collected, belonging to 32 different families and 57 species. About 80% of captures were bark beetles, mainly Orthotomicus erosus. Beetle predators accounted for about 17% of the captures, with a total of 12 species. Some of these predator species had never been studied yet in relation to verbenone effects, like other saproxylic beetles recorded in this study. A significant reduction of captures was recorded for some beetles (e.g. I. sexdentatus and O. erosus), for other species no differences emerged, and in some cases captures increased significantly when verbenone was present in the traps (i.e.. Hylurgus ligniperda, Corticeus pini, Aulonium ruficorne). The diversity of caught saproxylic beetles increased significantly in verbenone traps, highlighting possible implications of the use of verbenone when managing bark beetle outbreaks.
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