Semiochemicals for the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonusponderosae (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in British Columbia: field trapping studies

Abstract

The following compounds were field tested in multiple funnel or drainpipe traps as attractants for the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonusponderosae Hopkins, in British Columbia lodgepole pine, Pinuscontorta var. latifolia Engelm. forests: trans-verbenol, 3-caren-10-ol, acetophenone, E-2-methyl-6-methylene-octa-2,7-dienol (myrcenol) and 2-p-menthen-7-ol (all female-produced volatiles which had proven attractive in laboratory bioassays); exo-brevicomin (produced by males); and α-pinene, β-pinene, 3-carene, β-phellandrene, terpinolene and myrcene (host tree monoterpenes). trans-Verbenol was demonstrated to be a highly active aggregation pheromone, as was (±)-exo-brevicomin. Myrcene was the most effective synergistic monoterpene, while α-pinene was completely ineffective. In one experiment, 3-caren-10-ol caused a shift in favor of responding males, but the other female-produced volatiles were inactive.