Hybridization Potential of Two Invasive Asian Longhorn Beetles

The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) and citrus longhorned beetle (CLB), Anoplophora chinensis (Förster) (both Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), are high-risk invasive pests that attack various healthy hardwood trees. These two species share some similar host plants and overlapping distributions in large parts of their native ranges in China and the Korean peninsula as well as similar reproductive behaviors. The original Anoplophora malasiaca (Thomson) occurs in Japan and has been synonymized as CLB (hereafter referred to JCLB). In this study, a 30-min behavioral observation of paired adults, followed by a four-week exposure to host bolts, showed that ALB could not successfully cross with CLB. Mating was observed between female CLB and male ALB but not between female ALB and male CLB, no laid eggs hatched. JCLB males successfully crossed with ALB females to produce viable eggs although the overall percentage of hatched eggs was lower than those from conspecific mating pairs. However, ALB males could not successfully cross with JCLB females. CLB and JCLB mated and produced viable hybrid offspring and the hybrid F1 offspring eggs were fertile. These results suggest an asymmetrical hybridization between ALB and JCLB, and that both CLB and JCLB might be considered as two subspecies with different hybridization potential with congeneric ALB. Given their potential impacts on ecosystems and many economically important tree hosts, invasion of these geographically isolated species (ALB and JCLB) or distant subspecies (CLB and JCLB) into the same region may facilitate potential hybridization, which could be a potential concern for the management of these two globally important invasive forest pests. Further studies are needed to determine if fertile hybrid offspring are capable of breeding continually or backcrossing with parental offspring successfully.

Biotic factors damaging forest stands in Gornata Koria and Chuprene Reserves in Western Balkan Range, Bulgaria

Assessment and monitoring of health status in deteriorated forest stands in Gornata Koria and Chuprene Reserves in Western Balkan Range (Bulgaria) were conducted in 2017. An integrated approach (based on remote sensing technologies and terrestrial validation) was applied. A series of subsequent terrain observations were carried out in both protected areas mainly in dead or in poor health status stands. As a result, sixteen insect species were identified in Gornata Koria and nine pests in Chuprene Reserves. The predominant number of pests included bark beetles and weevils (Curculionidae), longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), etc. Attacks caused by the European bark beetle (Ips typographus) formed the main disturbance in the Norway spruce forests in both reserves. Ten parasitic and ten saprophytic fungi were identified in the stands of the Norway spruce (Picea abies), silver fir (Abies alba) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Among the parasitic fungi, six species were identified as destructive (Armillaria sp., Heterobasidion annosum, Fomitopsis pinicola, Fomes fomentarius, Ramaria flava and Pholiota squarrosa).

A checklist and areography of longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Rila Mountain

The complex of longhorn beetles in Rila Mt. in Bulgaria was studied by literature data and original biological materials. As a result, 126 taxa from six subfamilies were established, as follows: Prioninae (four taxa), Lepturinae (43 taxa), Necydalinae (two taxa), Spondylidinae (seven taxa), Cerambycinae (31 taxa) and Lamiinae (39 taxa). In this study, two new records for Rila Mt. (Stenurella nigra nigra and Xylosteus spinolae) and new localities or additional information for 24 cerambycid taxa were reported. The longhorn beetles belong to 18 zoogeographical categories and seven complexes. The European complex occupies a dominant position (37.3%), followed by the Palaearctic (23.8%), Eurosiberian (13.5%), Mediterranean (11.1%), European-Iranoturanian (7.1%), Balkan endemic (4.0%) and Holarctic (3.2%) complexes.

Host Plants Association with Longhorn Beetles of Food Value: Traditional Knowledge of the Guaraní as Cultural Identity Keepers

The study of plant-insect interactions and how cultural groups perceive and manage them constitutes one of the interests of ethnoentomology. This work describes the association between host plants and longhorn beetles (Order: Coleoptera; Family: Cerambycidae), an important food among the Guaraní peoples of the province of Misiones, Argentina. Different management methods of host tree species are analyzed in order to promote the rearing of larvae for edible use. We also discuss a story about the mythical origin of cerambicids relayed by the Ava Chiripa Guaraní community. We reflect on the importance of the local worldview in the maintenance of ancestral practices, such as the cultural tasks involved in slash-and-burn agriculture and the intimate knowledge of biological relationships between the cerambycids and their woody host plants.

Comparative Mitogenomic Analysis of Two Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) with Preliminary Investigation into Phylogenetic Relationships of Tribes of Lamiinae

The subfamily Lamiinae is the most taxonomically diverse subfamily of Cerambycidae, but relationships between tribes of Lamiinae are still unresolved. In order to study the characteristics of the mitogenomes of Lamiinae and the tribal-level phylogenetic relationships, we sequenced the mitogenomes of two species representing two tribes, Agapanthia amurensis (Agapanthiini) and Moechotypa diphysis (Ceroplesini), with a total length of 15,512 bp and 15,493 bp, respectively. The gene arrangements of these two new mitogenomes were consistent with the inferred ancestral insect mitogenomes. Each species contained 37 typical mitochondrial genes and a control region (A + T-rich region), including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). All PCGs initiated with the standard start codon ATN, and terminated with the complete stop codons of TAA and TAG, or incomplete stop codon T. All tRNAs could be folded into a clover-leaf secondary structure except for trnS1, in which the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm was reduced. Moreover, we studied the phylogenetic relationships between some tribes of Lamiinae based in mitochondrial PCGs in nucleotides; our results show that the relationships were as follows: (Onciderini + ((Apomecynini + Acanthocinini) + ((Ceroplesini + Agapanthiini) + ((Mesosini + Pteropliini) + ((Dorcaschematini + (Saperdini 1 + (Phytoeciini + Saperdini 2))) + (Batocerini + Lamiini)))))).

Pest detection dogs for wood boring longhorn beetles

Invasive alien species are increasing due to globalization. Their spread has resulted in global economic losses. Asian [Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky)] (ALB) and citrus [A. chinensis (Forster)] (CLB) longhorn beetles are two introduced wood borers which contribute to these economic losses e.g. the destruction of tree plantations. Early detection is key to reduce the ecological influence alongside the detrimental and expensive eradication. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) can detect these insects, potentially at an early stage. We trained two privately owned dogs to investigate their use as detection tools. We tested the dog’s ability to discriminate ALB and CLB from native wood borers by carrying out double-blind and randomized experiments in three search conditions; (1) laboratory, (2) semi-field and (3) standardized field. For condition one, a mean sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 95% and accuracy of 92% were achieved. For condition two and three, a mean sensitivity of 88% and 95%, specificity of 94% and 92% and accuracy of 92% and 93% were achieved. We conclude that dogs can detect all types of traces and remains of ALB and CLB and discriminate them from native wood borers and uninfested wood, but further tests on live insects should be initiated.

Spatial Distribution Pattern of Longhorn Beetle Assemblages (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Mongolian Oak (Quercus Mongolica) Forests in Changbai Mountain, Jilin Province, China

Background: Mongolian oak forest is a deciduous secondary forest with a large distribution area in the Changbai Mountain area. The majority of longhorn beetle species feed on forest resources, The number of some species is also large, which has a potential risk for forest health, and have even caused serious damage to forests. Clarifying the distribution pattern of longhorn beetles in Mongolian oak forests is of great scientific value for the monitoring and control of some pest populations. Methods: 2018 and 2020, flying interception traps were used to continuously collect longhorn samples from the canopy and bottom of the ridge, southern slope, and northern slope of the oak forest in Changbai Mountain, and the effects of topographic conditions on the spatial distribution pattern of longhorn beetles were analyzed. Results: A total of 4090 individuals, 56 species, and 6 subfamilies of longhorn beetles were collected in two years. The number of species and individuals of Cerambycinae and Lamiinae were the highest, and the number of Massicus raddei (Blessig), Moechotypa diphysis (Pascoe), Mesosa myopsmyops (Dalman), and Prionus insularis Motschulsky was relatively abundant. Topographic conditions did not affect the vertical distribution of richness and abundance of longhorn beetles in the forest, but topographic conditions and vertical height independently affected the composition and quantity of the beetle assemblages. The community composition of longhorn beetles in the forest bottom and canopy was significantly different, and the richness and abundance were higher in the canopy under good light conditions. Cerambycinae and Lamiinae preferred to be active in the canopy, Prioninae preferred to be active in the forest bottom, and Lepturinae did not show any difference in the bottom and the canopy. Conclusions: The composition of the longhorn beetle community on the ridge was significantly different from that on the southern slope and the northern slope, and the richness and abundance on the ridge and the southern slope were higher than those on the northern slope. Different species had different preferences for topographical conditions and vertical height, which indicated the adaptability of longhorn beetles in the forest.

Census of the longhorn beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae and Vesperidae) of the Macau SAR, China

An intensive census, extended over a period of approximately three and a half years, October 2017– May 2021, was conducted in the remaining green areas of the Macau SAR in order to provide an updated status of the biodiversity of longhorn beetles in this region. This insect group includes more than 36,000 species worldwide, subdivided into four families of mainly xylophagous or saproxylic insects, the Vesperidae, Oxypeltidae, Disteniidae, and Cerambycidae. They are of key importance in agricultural and forestry science, and are often used as an indicator of forest habitat health. A total of 52 species was recorded during this census, 2.6 times more than previously reported in the literature for this area. However, recorded abundances and frequency of occurrence for the various species were remarkably low, and of the 20 species previously reported for the region, some prominent ones remained unaccounted for. Among others, these include Batocera horsfieldii (Hope, 1839), Apriona rugicollis Chevrolat, 1852 [previously incorrectly reported as Apriona germarii (Hope, 1831)], Aristobia reticulator (Fabricius, 1781) [previously reported as Aristobia testudo (Voet, 1778)] and Imantocera penicillata (Hope, 1831). It is hypothesised that this may be related to the ongoing manipulation of the natural vegetation of the Macau SAR, which is rapidly being converted to plantations, city parks, and gardens. In particular, dead or dying trees and lower tree branches are systematically removed in order to improve the aesthetic appearance of these green areas. However, this process is also depriving xylophagous and saproxylic species of their essential habitats.