Project Number: 1926-22000-019-03
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jul 01, 2003
End Date: Jul 24, 2007

Objective:
To investigate native natural enemies of native longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) and other native wood borers in Norway maple for development of biological control of the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB), ANOPLOPHORA GLABRIPENNIS and other invasive wood borers.

Approach:
Field and laboratory studies will be conducted to characterize the natural history and behavior of natural enemies of native wood borers attacking Norway maple. Norway maple trees (a species known to be attacked by ALB) will be stressed periodically at different times of the year (e.g., monthly). Since different wood borer species tend to prefer trees in different stages of decline, trees of each species will be stressed using three methods: (1) partial girdling, (2) full girdling and (3) felling. After trees are stressed, trees will be inspected periodically, and adult wood borers and natural enemies collected to determine what species colonize these trees. Following colonization, sections of each tree (girdled and felled) will be caged. A sub-sample of caged sections of each tree will be: (1) dissected periodically and wood borer life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) collected, examined for parasitoids and then held in the laboratory in order to allow development and emergence of possible natural enemies; and (2) inspected periodically, and adult wood borers and natural enemies collected to identify and quantify emergence. Pertinent biological, behavioral and ecological data will be collected (e.g. parasitism rate; levels of polyphagy). The resulting data should provide predictions of natural enemy species that have potential as biological control agents of ALB in the U.S.