The bark beetle,Ips grandicollis,disrupts biological control of the woodwasp,Sirex noctilio,via fungal symbiont interactions

As a group, arthropod natural enemies have been shown to substantially reduce within-tree pine bark beetle populations. However, little is known about the impacts of individual species on bark beetle mortality. In a controlled laboratory study, we measured the effects of two predaceous histerid species, Platysoma parallelum (Say) and Plegaderus transversus (Say), on Ips calligraphus (Germar) and Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff) brood mortality. Platysoma parallelum was found to have a greater impact on I. grandicollis mortality than Ple. transversus when only one histerid and prey species were present. No significant differences in I. calligraphus mortality were observed for either of the two histerid species. More I. grandicollis brood was killed per introduced Pla. parallelum adult than per introduced Ple. transversus adult likely as a result of the larger size and biomass requirements of Pla. parallelum. The results of this experiment indicate that histerids, by themselves, have the ability to lower within-tree bark beetle populations and could have potential use in a bark beetle biological control program.

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Incidence of Ips grandicollis (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) in trap trees prepared for biological control of Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in Australia: Influence of environment and silviculture

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2013.09.035 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 310 ◽

pp. 865-874 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

C.W. Gitau ◽

A.J. Carnegie ◽

H.I. Nicol ◽

R. Bashford ◽

C. Poynter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Sirex Noctilio ◽

Ips Grandicollis

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Antifungal actinomycetes associated with the pine bark beetle, Orthotomicus erosus, in South Africa

South African Journal of Science ◽

10.17159/sajs.2017/20160215 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol Volume 113 (Number 1/2) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zander R. Human ◽

Bernard Slippers ◽

Z. Wilhelm de Beer ◽

Michael J. Wingfield ◽

Stephanus N. Venter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Pine Bark ◽

Fungal Communities ◽

Fungal Symbiont ◽

Sirex Noctilio ◽

Genus Streptomyces ◽

Orthotomicus Erosus ◽

Mutualistic Association

Abstract Actinomycete bacteria are often associated with insects that have a mutualistic association with fungi. These bacteria are believed to be important to this insect–fungus association as they produce antibiotics that exclude other saprophytic fungi from the immediate environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of potentially protective actinomycetes associated with Orthotomicus erosus, an alien invasive pine bark beetle, in South Africa. This bark beetle and its relatives have an association with Ophiostomatales species which are often the only fungi found in the bark beetle galleries. We hypothesised that antibiotic-producing actinomycetes could be responsible for the paucity of other fungi in the galleries by producing compounds to which the Ophiostoma spp. are tolerant. Several actinomycetes in the genus Streptomyces and one Gordonia sp. were isolated from the beetle. Interestingly, most isolates were from the same species as actinomycetes associated with other pine-infesting insects from other parts of the world, including bark beetles and the woodwasp Sirex noctilio. Most actinomycetes isolated had strong antifungal properties against the selected test fungi, including Ophiostoma ips, which is the most common fungal symbiont of Orthotomicus erosus. Although the actinomycetes did not benefit Ophiostoma ips and the hypothesis was not supported, their sporadic association with Orthotomicus erosus suggests that they could have some impact on the composition of the fungal communities present in the bark beetle galleries, which is at present poorly understood.

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Response of wasp parasitoidIbalia leucospoidesto volatiles from fungal symbiont (Amylostereumareolatum) of Sirex noctilio

10.1603/ice.2016.111454 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Hajar Faal Mohammad Ali

Keyword(s):

Fungal Symbiont ◽

Sirex Noctilio

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Environment and Local Substrate Availability Effects on Harem Formation in a Polygynous Bark Beetle

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12020098 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 98 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Melissa J. Griffin ◽

Matthew R. E. Symonds

Keyword(s):

Population Density ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Substrate Availability ◽

Pine Plantation ◽

Single Male ◽

Animal Groups ◽

Ips Grandicollis ◽

Surrounding Environment ◽

External Conditions ◽

Species Groups

Many forms of polygyny are observed across different animal groups. In some species, groups of females may remain with a single male for breeding, often referred to as “harem polygyny”. The environment and the amount of habitat available for feeding, mating and oviposition may have an effect on the formation of harems. We aimed to determine how the surrounding environment (a harvested or unharvested pine plantation) and availability of local substrate affect the harems of the bark beetle, Ips grandicollis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). In a harvested pine plantation with large amounts of available habitat, the population density of these beetles is much higher than in unharvested plantations. We found the number of females per male to be significantly greater in the harvested plantation than the unharvested one. Additionally, the amount of substrate available in the immediate local vicinity (the number of logs in replicate piles) also influences the number of beetles attracted to a log and size of individual harems. We also examined how females were distributing themselves in their galleries around the males’ nuptial chamber, as previous work has demonstrated the potential for competition between neighbouring females and their offspring. Females do not perform clumping, suggesting some avoidance when females make their galleries, but they also do not distribute themselves evenly. Female distribution around the male’s nuptial chamber appears to be random, and not influenced by other females or external conditions.

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Searching strategies and attack rates of parasitoids of the ash bark beetle (Leperisinus varius) and its relevance to biological control

Ecological Entomology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2311.1991.tb00239.x ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 461-470 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

N. J. MILLS

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Bark Beetle

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Putative origin of clonal lineages of Amylostereum areolatum, the fungal symbiont associated with Sirex noctilio, retrieved from Pinus sylvestris, in eastern Canada

Fungal Biology ◽

10.1016/j.funbio.2011.05.009 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 115 (8) ◽

pp. 750-758 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Marie-Josée Bergeron ◽

Isabel Leal ◽

Brett Foord ◽

Grace Ross ◽

Chuck Davis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Fungal Symbiont ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Sirex Noctilio ◽

Putative Origin

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Incidental Fungi in Host Trees Disrupt the Development of Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Symbiotic Fungus and Larvae

Journal of Economic Entomology ◽

10.1093/jee/toz314 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 113 (2) ◽

pp. 832-838

Author(s):

Lixiang Wang ◽

Chunchun Li ◽

Juan Shi ◽

Chengcheng Li ◽

Jiale Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Larval Mortality ◽

Trichoderma Viride ◽

Microbial Control ◽

Trichoderma Atroviride ◽

Fungal Symbiont ◽

Sirex Noctilio ◽

Wood Moisture ◽

Host Trees ◽

Phlebiopsis Gigantea ◽

Mutualistic Fungus

Abstract The woodwasp, Sirex noctilio Fabricius, is an exotic pest of Pinus L. in the southern hemisphere and North America, and it is an emerging threat in northeastern China. Adult woodwasps have numerous insect competitors for oviposition substrates, and developing larvae must compete for resources with other subcortical invaders. Its mutualistic fungus Amylostereum areolatum (Fr.) Boidon, is less competitive than many other fungal colonists present in pine ecosystems. This study investigated the effects of incidental, host-colonizing fungi on the growth and development of woodwasp larvae and A. areolatum. Fungi were isolated from dead S. noctilio larvae within galleries (primarily Trichoderma Pers, Ophiostoma Sydow, and Sphaeropsis Sacc.), and effects of these fungi on woodwasp brood survival were investigated via inoculations of S. noctilio-infested logs. Larval mortality was significantly increased in sample logs inoculated with Ophiostoma minus (Hedgc.) Sydow Phlebiopsis gigantea (Fr.) Jülich, Trichoderma atroviride Bissett, Trichoderma viride Pers, and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai. Inoculation of logs with O. minus resulted in the highest mortality and greatest reductions in wood moisture content. When grown on artificial media, these fungi grew faster than and inhibited growth of A. areolatum mycelium. We propose that the adverse effects of incidental fungi on the survival of S. noctilio larvae may be caused at least in part by an indirect mechanism involving inhibition of the fungal symbiont. The findings provide potentially valuable information for suppressing S. noctilio populations using microbial control agents.

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