ArticlePDF Available

The effect of twig diameter on emergence rates of the oak twig pruner (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Authors:
William Brown
William Brown
M.E. Zuefle at Cornell University
M.E. Zuefle
Jason Dombroskie at Cornell University
Jason Dombroskie
Download full-text PDF
Read full-text
Download citation

Abstract

Oak twig pruner (Anelaphus parallelus (Newman); Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae develop inside twigs pruned from host plants. Reasons for this behaviour are unknown and differential emergence due to twig diameter has not been explored. Twigs pruned from walnuts (Juglans nigra Linnaeus; Juglandaceae) (n=179) and oaks (Quercus Linnaeus; Fagaceae) (n=84) were collected in Pennsylvania, United States of America in 2010; 118 pruned oak twigs were collected in New York State, United States of America in 2012. Twigs from 2012 were dissected to determine rates of emergence and larval mortality; both samples were examined for parasitoids. As the diameter of oak twigs (range of 3–16 mm) increased, larval mortality increased and adult emergence decreased. Date of collection did not influence twig diameter nor emergence rates. Three new parasitoids were associated with the oak twig pruner: Atanycolus Förster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Eubazus denticulatus (Martin) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and a potentially new genus of wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Hormiinae near Pambolus Haliday). Parasitism rates were an order of magnitude greater among twigs that contained more than one larva or pupa (23.1%; n=26) compared to those that contained only one (2.3%; n=341).
Content uploaded by William Brown
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by William Brown on Jan 25, 2019
Content may be subject to copyright.
The effect of twig diameter on emergence rates of
the oak twig pruner (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
William P. Brown,
1
Marion E. Zuefle, Jason J. Dombroskie
Abstract—Oak twig pruner (Anelaphus parallelus (Newman); Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae
develop inside twigs pruned from host plants. Reasons for this behaviour are unknown and differential
emergence due to twig diameter has not been explored. Twigs pruned from walnuts (Juglans nigra
Linnaeus; Juglandaceae) (n=179) and oaks (Quercus Linnaeus; Fagaceae) (n=84) were collected in
Pennsylvania, United States of America in 2010; 118 pruned oak twigs were collected in New York State,
United States of America in 2012. Twigs from 2012 were dissected to determine rates of emergence and
larval mortality; both samples were examined for parasitoids. As the diameter of oak twigs (range
of 3–16 mm) increased, larval mortality increased and adult emergence decreased. Date of collection did
not influence twig diameter nor emergence rates. Three new parasitoids were associated with the oak twig
pruner: Atanycolus Förster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Eubazus denticulatus (Martin) (Hymenoptera:
Braconidae), and a potentially new genus of wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Hormiinae near Pambolus
Haliday). Parasitism rates were an order of magnitude greater among twigs that contained more than one
larva or pupa (23.1%; n=26) compared to those that contained only one (2.3%; n=341).
Introduction
Oak twig pruners, Anelaphus parallelus
(Newman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), oviposit
at the ends of branches of living oaks (Quercus
Linnaeus; Fagaceae), black walnuts (Juglans
nigra Linnaeus; Juglandaceae), and other trees
(Gosling 1978) from the eastern United States of
America to Canada and westward to Texas,
United States of America (Solomon and Payne
1986). Larvae feed on the woody portion of
the stem, overwinter in the twig in a dormant state,
and resume feeding in the centre of the twig
the following spring. Early in the second summer,
the larva will chew away the wood at the proximal
end of the twig until it reaches the bark, fall to the
ground within the distal portion of the twig when
it is dislodged from the tree by the elements,
and continue development inside the fallen twig
(Gosling 1978, 1981). Larvae in fallen twigs may
be depredated by vertebrates and arthropods,
including parasitoids (Gosling 1978). Evolutionary
explanations for pruning twigs are not resolved.
Here, we report emergence and parasitism
rates from pruned oak twigs collected in 2012 in
New York State, United States of America as well
as the effect of twig diameter on larval mortality
and adult emergence, which might aid under-
standing the evolutionary origins of pruning
behaviour. Additionally, parasitoids and com-
mensal arthropods collected from pruned oak and
black walnut twigs in Pennsylvania, United States
of America were documented and identified to
species, when possible.
From 19 June to 5 September 2010, we
collected 284 pruned twigs near the Borough of
Kutztown, Berks County, Pennsylvania. A total of
61 pruned twigs, mostly from red oaks (Quercus
rubra (Linnaeus)), were collected from Kutztown
Park. Twigs were also collected from black
walnuts (n=179) and oaks (n=23) along an
access road on the west side of Lake Ontelaunee,
W.P. Brown,
1
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Keuka College, Keuka Park, New York, 14478,
United States of America
M.E. Zuefle, IPM Program Office, NYSAES, 630 W. North Street, Geneva, New York, 14456, United States of
America
J.J. Dombroskie, Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14850,
United States of America
1
Corresponding author (e-mail: wbrown@keuka.edu).
Subject Editor: Dylan Parry
doi:10.4039/tce.2016.25
Received 20 August 2015. Accepted 11 April 2016. First published online 16 June 2016.
Can. Entomol. 00:1–5 (2016) © 2016 Entomological Society of Canada
1
10 km southwest of Kutztown, from 20 June 2010
until 5 September 2010. The road was monitored
two to three times per week. In all, 13 other
pruned twigs were incidentally collected from
areas near Kutztown.
Beginning 15 June through 22 July 2012, 118
pruned oak twigs were collected from the Penn
Yan, Dresden, and Watkins Glen areas of
New York State. All three sites were monitored at
least twice a week for fallen twigs; the Dresden
site was monitored almost daily. For both
twig collections (2010 and 2012), we did not
estimate how many individual host trees produced
the collected twigs, nor were we able to determine
where, in the tree, the twig originated. Any leaves
were removed from collected twigs, diameter at
the proximal end was recorded to the nearest
0.1 mm with digital calipers, and longer twigs
were cut to a length of ~30 cm from the proximal
end and placed in nylon mesh bags on the day of
collection. The mesh bags were placed in plastic
bins and stored in a basement at 12–20 °C for
~10 months. Twigs were dissected and examined
for larvae, pupae, adults, parasitoids, or their
remains, and commensal arthropods. Twigs that
had cerambycid beetles other than the oak twig
pruner emerge (see below) were removed from
analyses on effects of twig diameter on emer-
gence. Parasitoids collected in 2010 and 2012
were identified to species by J.J.D., manager of
the Insect Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell
University (Ithaca, New York, United States of
America). Voucher specimens were deposited in
the Keuka College insect collection, Keuka Park,
New York, and the Cornell University insect
collection, Ithaca, New York.
The difference in twig diameter between oaks
and walnuts collected in 2010 was compared with
at-test. The effects of twig diameter and date of
collection on adult emergence and the incidence
of dead larvae from twigs collected during 2012
were examined with binomial logistic regression.
The difference in parasitism rates between twigs
that contained at least one known oak twig pruner
larva or pupa and those known to contain more
than one beetle larva or pupa, of any species, were
compared with a χ
2
test.
There was no difference in the average diameter
of twigs pruned from oaks (mean =9.3, SD =
3.0, range 4.6–19.4 mm) or walnuts (mean =9.6,
SD =1.9, range 5.4–18.3 mm) collected in
Pennsylvania during 2010 (t
272
=1.0, P=0.31).
The mean diameter of oak twigs pruned in
New York during 2012 was 8.5 mm (SD =3.0)
and ranged from 3.1 to 15.6 mm.
The overall emergence rate of oak twig pruner
beetles from oak twigs during 2012 was 44%. As
oak twig diameter increased, the likelihood of
emergence decreased (Wald χ
2
=5.0, df =1,
P=0.025; Hosmer and Lemeshow Goodness-of-
fit: χ
2
=7.9, df =8, P=0.44; max-rescaled
R
2
=0.06; Fig. 1) and the likelihood of larval
mortality increased (Wald χ
2
=5.1, df =1, P=
0.024; Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit:
χ
2
=6.8, df =8, P=0.56; max-rescaled
R
2
=0.07; Fig. 1). The date of collection did not
influence the likelihood of emergence (Wald χ
2
=
0.02, df =1, P=0.54), the likelihood of larval
mortality (Wald χ
2
=0.01, df =1, P=0.92), or
twig diameter (F(1,108) =0.72, P=0.40).
Two parasitoids emerged from 87 oak twigs
(2.3%) and eight parasitoids emerged from
187 walnut twigs (4.2%) collected during 2010.
Three parasitoids emerged from 118 oak twigs
collected during 2012 (2.5%). Collectively,
twig pruners were attacked by parasitoids in
Braconidae (Hymenoptera) (Atanycolus Förster,
Eubazus denticulatus Martin, Hormiinae near
Pambolus Haliday (a potentially new genus of
wasp), and an unidentified species; all are new
associations with the oak twig pruner), Cryptinae
(Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), and Tachinidae
(Diptera). Potential predators and commensal
insects observed included Caenochrysis doriae
(Gribodo) (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), Trypoxylon
frigidum Smith (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae),
Pyticeroides laticornis (Say) (Coleoptera: Cleridae),
Magdalis Germar species (Coleoptera: Curculio-
nidae), Liopinus alpha (Say) (Coleoptera:
Cerambycidae), Molorchus bimaculatus Say
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Anelaphus villosus
(Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Mastogenius
crenulatus Knull (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), and
other arthropods (Araneae, Nabidae (Hemiptera),
Forficulidae (Dermaptera), and Formicidae
(Hymenoptera)).
Occasionally, more than one larva or adult beetle,
including co-inhabitants of different species, were
collected from pruned twigs. Live oak twig pruner
larvae were noted in twigs approximately a year
after collection and, in three cases, parasitoids
emerged from twigs that contained dead, intact
2 Can. Entomol. Vol. 00, 2016
© 2016 Entomological Society of Canada
larvae, indicating the presence of more than one
larva in those twigs (Table 1). A small percentage of
twigs were pruned at both ends, implying that
multiple oak twig pruner larvae inhabited the same
twig and completed sequential prunes. Considering
only twigs known to contain one oak twig pruner at
any stage of development during 2010 and 2012
(some twigs were empty when dissected), eight of
341 twigs (2.3%) were parasitised. Six of 26 twigs
(23.1%) that held more than one beetle of any
species were parasitised; this difference was
significant (χ
2
=28.3, df =1, P<0.0001).
The lower rate of emergence in twigs of larger
diameter in this study was correlated with a
greater rate of larval mortality in such twigs.
Similarly, twig girdlers (Oncideres cingulata
(Say); Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) were more
likely to emerge from honey locust (Gleditsia
triacanthos Linnaeus; Fabaceae) twigs of smaller
diameter (Coppedge 2011) but this finding did not
hold for the three other tree species examined.
Larger twigs may provide more resources for
developing larvae of twig girdlers (Cramer 1998)
but no twig characteristic, of seven measured, was
Fig. 1. The probability of oak twig pruner (Anelaphus parallelus) emergence (A) and larval mortality (B) in
relationship to diameter of oak twigs in New York 2012 (n=118, note, some data points overlap).
Brown et al. 3
© 2016 Entomological Society of Canada
a strong predictor of the number of twig girdler
eggs laid or hatched (Cramer 1998).
Forcella (1982) found that the twig girdler
(O. cingulata) chewed only through phloem
tissues, which prevented nutrients from passing
the girdling point. Because twigs were girdled
when nutrients were being removed from leaves
(September), timing of girdling resulted in
optimal nutrient value of twigs (Forcella 1982).
Nutrient reserves in twigs pruned by the oak twig
pruner were not examined, but twigs are pruned
by this species during July and August and fall to
the ground rather immediately (Gosling 1978),
precluding the buildup of nutrients. Alternate
reasons, therefore, may better explain pruning
behaviour in this species.
If larger twigs provide more resources for
larvae –and support for female preference of large
twigs is not universal (Cramer 1998; Coppedge
2011; Paro et al. 2014) –a possible explanation
for reduced emergence from larger twigs is that
they are better defended by the host plant (Palo
et al. 1992). Girdling branches may help to over-
come plant chemical defences (Paro et al. 2014),
including moisture levels and water potential
(Hanks et al. 1999). The time required to com-
plete a girdle is another likely cost associated with
using larger twigs (Paro et al. 2014), and larvae or
adults might be pinched by twig or branch
movements as the depth of the girdle increases
(W.P.B., personal observation).
While the above considerations could not be
addressed in this observational study, which
included unnatural storage conditions and hapha-
zard twig collection, the occurrence of multiple
larvae in some twigs - including larvae of other
species - suggest a complicated ecology. Gosling
(1978) collected cerambycids other than oak twig
pruners from pruned twigs, but did not provide
further details. Co-inhabitants of more than one
species were also observed in other studies
(Hovore and Penrose 1982; Lemes et al. 2015).
Interspecific competition for food or space within
girdled twigs has been suggested or demonstrated
many times (Linsley 1959; Rogers 1977; Hanks
et al. 1993; Dodds et al. 2001; Lemes et al. 2015).
Intraspecific competition and cannibalism as a
function of increased density has also been
observed (Powell 1982; Akbulut et al. 2004).
Our finding of a rate of parasitism an order of
magnitude greater in twigs holding more than one
Table 1. Descriptions of twig contents that contained more than one individual, live larva, or pupa.
Individual 1 Individual 2 Individual 3 Twig species Cases
Anelaphus parallelus Anelaphus parallelus Red oak 2
Anelaphus parallelus Anelaphus villosus Red oak 1
Anelaphus parallelus Mastogenis crenulatus Liopinus alpha Red oak 1
Anelaphus parallelus Molorchus bimaculatus Black walnut 1
Anelaphus parallelus Anelaphus parallelus (pupa) Black walnut, red oak 14
Anelaphus parallelus Anelaphus parallelus (pupa) Magdalis species Black walnut 1
Anelaphus parallelus Anelaphus parallelus (larva) Red oak 2
Braconidae Anelaphus parallelus (larva) Black walnut 2
Tachinidae Anelaphus parallelus (larva) Red oak 1
Anelaphus parallelus (larva) Molorchus bimaculatus Black walnut 1
Anelaphus parallelus (larva) Magdalis species Black walnut 2
Anelaphus parallelus (live larvae) Red oak 9
Anelaphus parallelus (three live larvae) Red oak 1
Anelaphus parallelus (live pupa) Red oak 1
Note: Individuals listed are adults unless otherwise indicated. Data are from 284 twigs collected in Pennsylvania in 2010 and 118 twigs collected in central New York State in 2012.
4 Can. Entomol. Vol. 00, 2016
© 2016 Entomological Society of Canada
larva or pupa is strongly suggestive of another
general benefit of reducing larval density. Twig
pruning behaviours might reduce costs of inter-
specific competition (Gosling 1978), intraspecific
competition, and parasitism while securing
adequate food resources, creating enemy-free or
enemy-reduced space (Jeffries and Lawton 1984).
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Monika Zuefle for making the
mesh storage bags and Brutus Brown, Matt Brown,
and Jennie Heckscher for helping to collect pruned
twigs. The editors and two anonymous reviewers
helped improve the quality of this work.
References
Akbulut, S., Stamps, W.T., and Linit, M.J. 2004.
Population dynamics of Monochamus carolinensis
(Col., Cerambycidae) under laboratory conditions.
Journal of Applied Entomology, 128:17–21.
Coppedge, B.R. 2011. Twig morphology and host
effects on reproductive success of the twig girdler
Oncideres cingulata (Say) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
The Coleopterists Bulletin, 65:405–410.
Cramer, K.L. 1998. Effects of twig morphology on
oviposition behavior and hatching success of the
twig-girdling beetle Oncideres cingulata (Say)
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). The Coleopterists
Bulletin, 52: 186–193.
Dodds, K.J., Graber, C., and Stephen, F.M. 2001.
Facultative intraguild predation by larval Cerambyc-
idae (Coleoptera) on bark beetle larvae (Coleoptera:
Scolytidae). Environmental Entomology, 30:17–22.
Forcella, F. 1982. Why twig-girdling beetles
girdle twigs. Naturwissenschaften, 69: 398–400.
Gosling, D.C.L. 1978. Observations on the biology of
the oak twig pruner, Elaphidionoides parallelus,
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Michigan. Great
Lakes Entomologist, 11:1–10.
Gosling, D.C.L. 1981. Correct identity of the oak twig
pruner (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Great Lakes
Entomologist, 14: 179–180.
Hanks, L.M., Paine, T.D., and Millar, J.G. 1993. Host
species preference and larval performance in the
wood-boring beetle Phoracantha semipunctata
F. Oecologia, 95:22–29.
Hanks, L.M., Paine, T.D., Millar, J.C., Campbell, C.D.,
and Schuch, U.K. 1999. Water relations of host trees
resistance to the phloem-boring beetle Phoracantha
semipunctata F. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
Oecologia, 119: 400–407.
Hovore, F.T. and Penrose, R.L. 1982. Notes on
Cerambycidae co-inhabiting girdles of Oncideres
pustulata LeConte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). The
Southwestern Naturalist, 27:23–27.
Jeffries, M.J. and Lawton, J.H. 1984. Enemy free
space and the structure of biological communities.
Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society, 23:
269–286.
Lemes, P.G., Cordeiro, G., Jorge, I.R., Anjos, N., and
Zanuncio, J.C. 2015. Cerambycidae and other
Coleoptera associated with branches girdled by
Oncideres saga Dalman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae:
Lamiinae: Onciderini). The Coleopterists Bulletin,
69: 159–166.
Linsley, E.G. 1959. Ecology of the Cerambycidae.
Annual Review of Entomology, 4:99–138.
Palo, R.T., Bergström, R., and Danell, K. 1992.
Digestibility, distribution of phenols, and fiber at
different twig diameters of birch in winter. Implica-
tion for browsers. Oikos, 65: 450–454.
Paro, C.M., Arab, A., and Vasconcellos-Neto, J. 2014.
Specialization of Atlantic rain forest twig-girdler
beetles (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Onciderini):
variation in host-plant use by microhabitat specia-
lists. Arthropod-Plant Interactions, 8: 557–569.
Powell, W. 1982. Age-specific life-table data for
Eucalyptus boring beetle, Phoracantha semipunctata
(F.) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Malawi. Bulletin
of Entomological Research, 72: 645–653.
Rogers, C.E. 1977. Bionomics of Oncideres cingulata
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on mesquite. Journal of
the Kansas Entomological Society, 50: 222–228.
Solomon, J.D. and Payne, J.A. 1986. A guide to the
insect borers, pruners, and girdlers of pecan and
hickory. General Technical Report SO-64. United
States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Southern Forest Experiment Station, New Orleans,
Louisiana, United States of America.
Brown et al. 5
© 2016 Entomological Society of Canada
... an average of 25.8 mm reported here). Similarly, for twig collections made in New York and Pennsylvania, Brown et al. (2016) reported that OTP-infested oak twigs averaged 9.3 mm in diameter at the pruned end. The lack of any significant linear relation between OTP adult size (mass) and the various measured twig parameters could indicate that nearly all twigs selected for oviposition were highly suitable for larval development. ...
... Several parasitoids have been reared from OTP-infested twigs in past studies, including the Braconidae (Hymenoptera) Eubazus denticulatus (Martin), Iphiaulax eurygaster (Brulle), Meteorus tibialis Muesebeck, a species of Atanycolus, a species of Digonogastra, and an unidentified species near Pambolus; the Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) Agonocryptus discoidaloides (Viereck), Dolichomitus irritator (Fabricius), and Helcostizus annulicornis (Walsh); and the Tachinidae (Diptera) Zelia (Minthozelia) ruficauda (Reinhard) (Gosling 1978, Krombein et al. 1979, Brown et al. 2016, Brown and Dombroskie 2019. It is possible that the parasitoids reared in the present study were some of the species listed above given that two of the ichneumonid wasps (A. ...
... Moreover, OTP populations are mostly synchronous in Michigan as well as in many other northern states, with twig drop occurring primarily in even-numbered years. For example, in the recent studies in New York and Pennsylvania by Brown et al. (2016) and Brown and Dombroskie (2019), the authors collected recently fallen OTP-pruned twigs in 2010, 2012, and 2014. This same pattern appears to have been dominant over a century ago given that early accounts of large numbers of OTP-pruned twigs, which was sometimes described as damage by the typical form of A. villosus, were reported falling in several northern states from Maine and New Jersey west to Michigan and Kansas on only even-numbered years from 1878 through 1910 (Clarkson 1885, Townsend 1886, Packard 1890, Chittenden 1910. ...
View
... an average of 25.8 mm reported here). Similarly, for twig collections made in New York and Pennsylvania, Brown et al. (2016) reported that OTP-infested oak twigs averaged 9.3 mm in diameter at the pruned end. The lack of any significant linear relation between OTP adult size (mass) and the various measured twig parameters could indicate that nearly all twigs selected for oviposition were highly suitable for larval development. ...
... Several parasitoids have been reared from OTP-infested twigs in past studies, including the Braconidae (Hymenoptera) Eubazus denticulatus (Martin), Iphiaulax eurygaster (Brulle), Meteorus tibialis Muesebeck, a species of Atanycolus, a species of Digonogastra, and an unidentified species near Pambolus; the Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) Agonocryptus discoidaloides (Viereck), Dolichomitus irritator (Fabricius), and Helcostizus annulicornis (Walsh); and the Tachinidae (Diptera) Zelia (Minthozelia) ruficauda (Reinhard) (Gosling 1978, Krombein et al. 1979, Brown et al. 2016, Brown and Dombroskie 2019. It is possible that the parasitoids reared in the present study were some of the species listed above given that two of the ichneumonid wasps (A. ...
... Moreover, OTP populations are mostly synchronous in Michigan as well as in many other northern states, with twig drop occurring primarily in even-numbered years. For example, in the recent studies in New York and Pennsylvania by Brown et al. (2016) and Brown and Dombroskie (2019), the authors collected recently fallen OTP-pruned twigs in 2010, 2012, and 2014. This same pattern appears to have been dominant over a century ago given that early accounts of large numbers of OTP-pruned twigs, which was sometimes described as damage by the typical form of A. villosus, were reported falling in several northern states from Maine and New Jersey west to Michigan and Kansas on only even-numbered years from 1878 through 1910 (Clarkson 1885, Townsend 1886, Packard 1890, Chittenden 1910. ...
View
... There is a large literature on this topic (see recent review by Dussourd 2017), but few studies examined the costs and benefits of developing in twigs that remained in the canopy or fell to the ground as a result of girdling. Non-exclusive, and sometimes contradictory, hypothesized benefits of developing in twigs on the ground include increased moisture levels (Packard 1890, Linsley 1959, reduced moisture levels (Clarkson 1885), reduced competition from conspecifics or other stem borers (Gosling 1978, Brown et al. 2016, and reduced exposure to parasitoids and predators (Brown et al. 2016). Larvae in girdled branches that fall to the ground in autumn, like those produced by some species of Oncideres, may also benefit from being covered with leaves (Linsley 1959, but see Sanborn 1911. ...
... There is a large literature on this topic (see recent review by Dussourd 2017), but few studies examined the costs and benefits of developing in twigs that remained in the canopy or fell to the ground as a result of girdling. Non-exclusive, and sometimes contradictory, hypothesized benefits of developing in twigs on the ground include increased moisture levels (Packard 1890, Linsley 1959, reduced moisture levels (Clarkson 1885), reduced competition from conspecifics or other stem borers (Gosling 1978, Brown et al. 2016, and reduced exposure to parasitoids and predators (Brown et al. 2016). Larvae in girdled branches that fall to the ground in autumn, like those produced by some species of Oncideres, may also benefit from being covered with leaves (Linsley 1959, but see Sanborn 1911. ...
... Larvae inside of pruned or girdled twigs may be attacked by predators, including birds, mammals, and arthropods, as well as parasitic Hymenoptera and Diptera (Sanborn 1911, Polk and Ueckert 1973, Gosling 1978, Brown et al. 2016. The negative effects of predators and parasitoids were usually not assessed, or not distinguished, from the other effects of experimental treatments in the three experiments described earlier (Sanborn 1911, Polk and Ueckert 1973, Gosling 1978, confounding these potential selective factors of pruning and girdling behaviors with environmental variables and twig placement. ...
Why do Some Beetles Develop in Fallen Twigs?
Article
  • Dec 2018
Many beetle species emerge in twigs pruned from the host tree by larvae inside the twig or externally girdled by adult females. Benefits of developing in fallen twigs have been afforded little experimental attention. If predation or parasitism in the canopy drive pruning and girdling behaviors, emergence is expected to be greatest in twigs on the ground, where predation and parasitism are expected to be minimized. Here, 220 twigs pruned from oak trees by larval Anelaphus parallelus (Newman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) were randomly placed into one of four treatments in a forested hedge: 1) on the ground, 2) on the ground within a mesh bag, 3) tied into the hedge 2.5m above the ground, 4) secured in a mesh bag and tied into the hedge, or 5) stored in a cool basement. The percentage of beetle emergence was greatest in twigs stored in the basement (87%) and bagged twigs on the ground (74%) and was least from unbagged twigs placed in the hedge (40%). Reduced rates of predation on the ground is therefore implicated as a potential selective force for pruning behaviors. The percentage of parasitized twigs was least from twigs stored in a basement (2%) but, unexpectedly, greatest from twigs placed in mesh bags in the hedge (24%). Support for parasitism as a determinant of pruning behavior was therefore ambiguous but may be confounded if mesh bags did not deter parasitoids. Considering results of other studies, selective forces for pruning and girdling behaviors may not generalize among species.
View
... For larval-pupal galleries length, the results from this study (28 mm) were inferior to those for O. cervina on of O. puberula (53.7 mm) (Witeck Neto et al., 2015)¸ indicating a lower rate of consumption on P. americana. This result could be related to the physical structure of the branches and wood density, factors than can influence the rate of larval wood consumption (Coppedge, 2011;Brown et al., 2016). ...
BIoecology of Oncideres cervina Thomson (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae)
Article
Full-text available
  • Sep 2023
  • Braz J Biol
Cerambycidae beetles limit production and establishment of forest and fruit trees. Oncideres cervina Thomson, 1868 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is one of the most important species. The objective was to record O. cervina girdling branches of Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) for the first time, check the number of oviposition incisions (Noi) as a function of the diameter of branch sections, period of emergence, and describe the larval-pupal chamber. Individuals of O. cervina were observed, for the first time, in P. americana orchards in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The middle section of branches (40-60 cm interval) had higher number of incisions. Girdled branches with a diameter of 40-50 mm had higher number of them. Adults emerged from November through January. Larvalpupal boreholes had diameters between 9 and 11 mm, and average tunnel length was 28 mm, with a mean volume of consumed wood of 4.3 mL. This information is useful for establishing integrated pest management practices against O. cervina in P. americana since this crop has a high added value and can be significantly compromised by attack by Cerambycidae beetles.
View
... Ten additional specimens were collected by the primary author between 2016 and 2020 near Penn Yan, New York and determined to be A. villosus with DNA barcoding (n = 50 total A. villosus). Measurements were collected from eight specimens of A. parallelus from the Cornell University collections, 44 additional specimens were collected and determined by the primary author near Penn Yan, New York between 2010 and 2018 (see Brown et al. 2016;Brown and Dombroskie 2019), and eight specimens were collected in the same location and time period determined to be A. parallelus with DNA barcoding (n = 60 total A. parallelus). Voucher specimens are available from the Cornell University Insect Collection (https://cuic.entomology. ...
Anelaphus villosus (Fabricius) and A. parallelus (Newman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) can be accurately distinguished using body measurements and DNA barcoding
Article
  • Jul 2021
  • CAN ENTOMOL
Anelaphus villosus (Fabricius) and A. parallelus (Newman) are longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Elaphidiini) that closely resemble each other in appearance. In practice, if antennomere 3 is distinctly longer than antennomere 4, the specimen is considered to be A. villosus, but the accuracy of this methodology is unknown. Authorities disagree about the ease of separating these two species based on morphological traits, and recent work hypothesises that they should be synonymised due to the difficulty of distinguishing them by either morphology or natural history. Assuming correct initial species determinations of curated specimens, as well as of those determined with DNA barcoding and by the primary author, data from 23 body measurements were collected from 50 A. villosus and 60 A. parallelus specimens. Stepwise discriminant analyses and discriminant functions were used to evaluate the ability to distinguish these species based on morphology. Species assignments from discriminant functions were very accurate and were supported by assignments determined with DNA barcoding. The ability to distinguish A. villosus and A. parallelus based on morphological and molecular differences provides evidence against the taxonomic hypothesis of synonymy under one species. A need for greater ecological understanding of these species remains.
View
... Anelaphus parallelus individuals were collected as larvae in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 in fallen twigs pruned from living oaks and walnuts in southeastern Pennsylvania and central New York (Brown et al. 2016;Brown and Dombroskie 2019). The appearance of the pruned twig is diagnostic, preventing potential confusion with Anelaphus villosus (Fabricius) (Gosling 1978(Gosling , 1981. ...
View
Larval Hosts of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera: Parandrinae, Prioninae, Lepturinae, Spondylidinae, Cerambycinae) in Connecticut and Nearby States
Article
  • Sep 2018
Based upon adults reared from dead wood collected in Connecticut and nearby states, larval hosts for 58 species of Cerambycidae in the subfamilies Parandrinae, Prioninae, Lepturinae, Spondylidinae, and Cerambycinae are reported. New hosts were discovered for 34 (58.6% of total) of the species. In all, 1,892 adults were reared to document 170 host associations, including 87 (51.2% of total) new host plant records. Neoclytus acuminatus acuminatus (Fabricius) had the broadest host range with 30 fully identified hosts, followed by Xylotrechus colonus (Fabricius) with 13 hosts; the remaining 56 species developed in seven or fewer hosts. Cerambycid adults emerged from 62 woody species in 33 genera distributed among 20 plant families. The number of known host families for each species usually is given, along with comments about questionable host records. Evaluation of host records and suggestions for improved reporting are discussed.
View
Cerambycidae and other Coleoptera Associated with Branches Girdled by Oncideres saga Dalman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Onciderini)
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2015
Species of Oncideres Serville, often referred to as twig girdlers, girdle tree branches prior to oviposition to promote larval development. The behavior creates a unique niche that is utilized by other beetle species. The objective of this study was to compare emergence of insects from branches girdled by Oncideres saga Dalman in an intercropping system and a monoculture of Acacia mangium Willd. in the Atlantic Rainforest of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Twenty-four Coleoptera species emerged from the branches: 17 Cerambycidae; three Cleridae; and one individual each from Cantharidae, Cucujidae, Elateridae, and Trogossitidae. Although branches from the intercropping system yielded more individuals, branches from the monoculture had higher species richness, including almost all of the cerambycid species and all of the potential predators. The use of girdled twigs may confer a reproductive advantage to subsequent cerambycid colonists, which are probably attracted to the volatiles released by the girdled branch. Beetles belonging to other families may prey on the Cerambycidae dwelling inside the branches. Potential predators may be ecologically important, contributing to the natural biological control of O. saga. Collecting and burning the infested branches is the technique most extensively used to control the twig girdlers. However, this also destroys beneficial organisms as well as the subsequent colonists that depend upon these branches.
View
Specialization of Atlantic rain forest twig-girdler beetles (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Onciderini): variation in host–plant use by microhabitat specialists
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2014
Most herbivorous insects show strong fidelity to specific resource types, and specialization may vary substantially between feeding guilds. However, one insect guild comparatively less studied in this regard is represented by stem-borers, in particular, twig-girdler beetles (Lamiinae: Onciderini). We evaluated the microhabitat specialization and host-plant utilization of adult Onciderini of a tropical rain forest for four consecutive years. The results showed that seven of the Onciderini species were microhabitat specialists and plant family specialist beetles appeared to be more specific to their microhabitats than generalist species. In addition, host-utilization varied among twig-girdlers, and smaller Onciderini species removed shorter and slender branches, whereas larger species girdled larger twigs. Girdling effort in large-sized beetles was higher than for smaller species. Thus, only few twigs are girdled by larger females in their lifetime. Females of O. saga, O. dejeani and O. ulcerosa sometimes interrupted the girdling process for up to 20 days when using plants with toxic compounds or in the presence of plant mutualistic ants. These findings suggest that microhabitat selection by Onciderini females is essential to find suitable food sources. In addition, factors other than girdling effort, such as competition or the low availability of host-plants, could be influencing egg laying on suboptimal hosts.
View
Digestibility, Distribution of Phenols, and Fiber at Different Twig Diameters of Birch in Winter. Implication for Browsers
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 1992
  • OIKOS
Mammalian herbivores of the boreal forest face, apart from large seasonal changes in forage quality and quantity, also problems in selecting appropriate plant parts. Winter is characterized by forages low in digestibility and nutrients, but high in fiber and chemical defenses. Distribution of these characteristics varies with twig thickness. For birch the digestibility declined with increased twig diameter. A similar pattern is found for total phenols and the phenolic glucoside platyphylloside. On the other hand, concentration of fiber increased with twig thickness. Birch showed a lower digestibility than expected from its fiber content supporting the assumption that plant secondary metabolites in birch lower digestibility. These observations suggest that the diameter at which boreal herbivores such as moose (Alces alces) and hare (Lepus rimidus) harvest birch will have both upper and lower limits. The lower limit might be set by low intake rate and high concentrations of defense compounds in apical part of twigs, while the upper limit might be set by high proportions of fiber.
View
Facultative Intraguild Predation by Larval Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) on Bark Beetle Larvae (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 2001
  • ENVIRON ENTOMOL
Larvae of the Carolina sawyer Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier) (Cerambycidae) and bark beetle larvae (Scolytidae) often simultaneously feed in phloem of recently killed pine trees. Our investigations reveal that M. carolinensis larvae may act as facultative intraguild predators of bark beetle larvae. Phloem sandwiches were used in four experiments to examine inter- and intraspecific interactions. We discovered that all sizes of M. carolinensis larvae killed bark beetle larvae. Seventy-six percent of the killed bark beetle larvae were consumed by M. carolinensis, including 58% that were entirely ingested. Cannibalism in M. carolinensis occurred in every experimental trial. Based on this evidence, M. carolinensis, and possibly related cerambycid species associated with bark beetles, are facultative intraguild predators of larvae of other phloem inhabiting species. The consequences of this behavior may have important implications for bark beetle population dynamics.
View
View
View
Effects of twig morphology on oviposition behavior and hatching success of the twig-girdling beetle Oncideres cingulata (Say) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Article
  • Jun 1998
I measured characteristics of shagbark hickory, Carya ovata (Mill.) twigs selected as oviposition sites by twig girdlers, Oncideres cingulata (Say), to determine any patterns that may affect reproductive success. Best subsets multiple regression analysis of seven twig characteristics revealed that measurements of twig size and number of lateral branches were significant (P < 0.001) determinants of both numbers of eggs laid (r2=0.33) and eggs hatched (r2=0.18), though much variability was unaccounted for by the models. The pattern of eggs laid approximated a normal distribution along the length of a branch, with fewer eggs near the girdle and the terminus of the branch. The large amount of variability left unexplained by the regression models may be explained by generational survivorship which varies greatly, from less than one to 60 percent or more.
View
Notes on Cerambycidae Co-Inhabiting Girdles of Oncideres pustulata Leconte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Article
  • Feb 1982
Nineteen species of cerambycid beetles found co-inhabiting Tepehuaje (Leucaena pulverulenta, Fabaceae) girdled by adult Oncideres pustulata LeConte at the Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary, Cameron County, Texas, USA, are listed and their habits briefly discussed. Literature concerning cohabitation of O. pustulata girdles by other longhorned beetles is reviewed. Characters for separating larvae of O. pustulata and the closely-related Lochmaeocles c. cornuticeps (Schaeffer) are enumerated. Other insects associated with O. pustulata-girdled Tepehuaje include 14 species in the beetle families Buprestidae, Curculionidae, Bostrichidae, Tenebrionidae, Mordellidae, Trogositidae, Cleridae; and the Tineidae (Lepidoptera).
View
Twig Morphology and Host Effects on Reproductive Success of the Twig Girdler Oncideres cingulata (Say) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Article
  • Dec 2011
The reproductive success of the twig girdler Oncideres cingulata (Say) was examined relative to twig morphology of the host tree species used for oviposition. There were significant differences in twig morphology between hosts, in twig length, volume, and surface area. Ovipositing beetles appeared to adjust reproductive efforts to these host differences, as reflected by egg density. Twig length was strongly correlated with the number of eggs laid across all host species, although regression analysis found that a model consisting of twig diameter and surface area best accounted for the total number of eggs per twig. Adult emergence was not related consistently to any aspect of twig morphology across host species. However, emergence rates varied between hosts, ranging from 6.1% from eggs laid on birch (Betula nigra L.), 7.7% from American elm (Ulmus americana L.), 10.0% from pecan (Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch), to 28.2% on honey locust (Gleditisia triacanthos L.).
View
View