.I. ENTOMOL. Soc. BI{ I'T'. COI.UMBI /\ 89. DECFMIH ' R. 1992 57 Distribution of economically important, wood-infesting anobiid in the Pacific Northwest

DANIEL A. SUOMI AND ROGER D. AKRE DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY WASH ING TON STA fE UNIVERSITY PULLMAN . WA 99 104

ABSTRACT Structure-infesting anobiid beetl es we re surveyed in Washington State homes and outbuild­ ings during 1987-91. Helllicoelll.l' ( = Hadro/Jr('gllllls) g ihhicol/i.l' (LeConte) was foun d in virtually all of the 90 structures in spected and is the predominant spec ies in fes ting building timbers. This anobiid is known primarily from coastal arcas of westcrn North A merica. HadrohregllJlls qlladmilis (LeConte) was discovered in 5.5% of infested structures while Xe.l'lOhilll/1 affille LeConte and PriohiLIIII fI"llc/a/1It1l (LeConte) were found in on ly 20/" of infested buildings. The curcu lioni d. RIIV/'/colll.l' 1m II I III' liS Manncrheilll. also infes ts st ru c­ tural timbers and was present in 8% of bu ildin gs ex amined in thi s st udy.

INTRODUCTION Wood-infesting beetles in the famil y Anobiidae are serious structural pests in many areas of the world. Larvae cause ex tensive damage by feeding and tunneling within timbers resulting in weakened structures. Considerable resources are often expended for wood replacement and/or chemi cal controls. Unfortunately. little is known abo ut most despite the extensive damage they cause. Long life cycles and extre me difficulty in rearing the beetles has resulted in this dearth of information. Certain anobiid species are we ll known, and many notable infestati ons have been recorded from wooden structures during the 20th century. Ba ines ( 19 14) reported a seri ous infestation of the deathwatch . Xes /Obilllll m/ill'illoSIlIl1 (De Geer), in timbers supporting the slate roof of Westminster Hall in London. The widespread damage resul ted in ex tensive replacement of wood with steel suppo rt s and provided a major impetus to conduct the first bi ological studies on anobiid beetles. Prior to that time anobiids were mostly considered to be a curiosity. While in dry dock for repairs, H. M. S. Victory, an 18th century wooden ship of the British Navy. was found to be infested by the same beetl e species (Fisher 1940). In order to address damage caused to oak timbe rs and furniture in Eng land by X. rt.!j(iVillosum , the Forest Products Research Laboratory was created (Fisher 1938). An attack by this on oak timbers in the O ld South Meeting House in Boston. Massachusett s was reported by Muirhead (1941). Engineers assessing the damage to tower supports noted that the hurricane of 1938 wo uld probably have destroyed them if the bu i Iding had not undergone earlie r repairs. Another anobiid , EllvrillellLl pelta/([ (I-Ian'is) 1= X,'1e tillll.l' peltatlls (Harris)]. was identified as in festing a home in No rth Carolina (Wri ght 1959) and stimulated interest in wood-destroying species in th e United States. Moore ( 1968. 1970). Williams (1977 .1983). Williams and Mauldin (1974, 1981), and Willi ams and Waldrop (1978) conducted research projects on E. peltata . inc luding li fe cycle studies. types of wood infested. and control options. Earlier work by Simeone ( 1960) found HClIl icoclll.\' carillatlls (Say) to be the most frequently encountered wood-infesting anobiid in northeastern North America. Doane et a1. ( 1936) cited examples of struct ures in the western states bei ng damaged by various anobi id beetles, including Hadrobret; lI1l1 s (1IIud/'ll/lIs (LeConte). HClIlicoe/lIs ( = Hadrobregllllls) g ilJbico/lis (LeConte). and Priobillll/ 1)[[1/('/(/tllll/ (LeConte). The furniture beetle, AI/obilllll {Jlllletalilin (De Geer). is probably the best known wood­ in festing anobiid . Various researchers (Becker 1940; Ke lsey et a l. 1945; Hiekin 1949. 1960. 1981: Bletchly 1952, 1957; Spi ll er 1952; Fisher 1958; Berry 1976) have published on thi s species. This is the most serious wood-destroy ing throughout England and much of 58 1. ENTOMOI.. Soc. B R IT. COLUMBI A 89. D ECEMBER. 1992 northern Europe, far more damaging than termites or any other group of (Hickin 1975). Additionally, Denne et al. (1944) noted that the furn iture beetl e was a widespread problem in New Zealand . Antique furniture shipped to the United States from Europe has typicall y been fumi gated with meth yl bromide to prevent the beetle's spread . Anobiid beetl es in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) are largely unidentified (Hatch 1(62). However, infestati ons of these insects are regul arl y reported to va ri ous agencies throughout the region. An initial goal of this research was to identi fy those species cau sing structural damage in the PNW. MATERIALS AND METHODS Collection data. Anobiid beetles are difficult to coll ect (White 1969). Cryptic colorati on and a tendency to remain immobile, except when seeking a mate, contribute to thi s difficulty. Therefore, efforts were initially concentrated on rev iewing collection specimen data from researchers and coleopteri sts who had made anobiid collecti ons in the PNW. Entomologists from seven major collections were contacted , and the most prevalent bectle species were then tallied. In addition, pest control operators and ex tension speci ali sts submitted specimens to us from 1987 to 1991 . Collection and rearing of beetles. Ninety anobiid-infested structures were examined , primarily in western Washington. although collections were also made in eastern Washington, western Oregon, and Oakland, California . Infested wood was removed from crawl spaces and basements, transported to the laboratory at Washington State University, Pullman. and stored in 33 gal emergence containers where environmental conditions simulated the moderate temperatures and hi gh relati ve humidity found in western Washington. Emergencc contai ners remained under constant temperature and relati ve humidity (18 ± 1°C and 65 ± 3% RH ). Certain contai ners were pl aced out-of-doors from 1987-9 1 to observe the effects of ex treme heat and cold (as fo und in eastern Washington) on beetle survival. Max imum and minimum temperatures attained within the containers were recorded during 1987-90. Emergi ng beetle adults were collected throughout the year and identi fied . A standard size sweep net (38 cm di am) was used during summer months to sample to rested areas for beetle adults in western Washing­ ton and Oregon. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Primary, structure-infesting anobiid beetles. A fter much correspondence. analyses of various insect collections, and visits to anobi id­ infested structures, it became apparent that one species predominated over all others combined . Hemicoe/u s gibbicollis, the most common species, was recovered from all 90 study sites and is kn own to infest structures from Al aska to Californi a (Linsley 1943). This anobiid has caused ex tensive damage in subfloor areas of buildings (Doane et al. 1936). Nevertheless, Furniss and Carolin noted in 1977 that the biology of H. gibbicollis was still incompletely recorded. Thus, when the overall importance of this species was studied. efforts were also focused on its di stribution. gibbicollis was initi all y described from collecti ons made in California by LeConte (1859), and in succeeding years the records became more widespread. Doane et al. (1 936) first reported this anobiid as vigorously attacking beams of Douglas-fir, Pseudofsuga menziesii (Mirbel), in old bridges, barns, and basement timbers in the San Francisco area . Linsley (1943) referred to this species as the California and documented a number of infested structures in California and Oregon. Hatch (1946) produced the fi rst ev idence of this insect attacking wooden timbers in Washington. Spruce boards in the porch of a residence on the Olympic Peninsul a were badl y infested and required repl acement. This beetl e is probabl y the primary wood-infesting anobiid in Californi a, Oregon, and Washing­ ton. Building in specti ons conducted during 1984 by Jan and Red Butler, Angeles Pest Control, showed H. gibbicollis to be the onl y species collected in Port Angeles and Sequim, .I. ENTOMOI. . Soc, BRI T. COI.UMBI A 89 . DfC('I·:M III :R. 1992 S9

Cla ll am County. Washington (Suom i 1992: appendix I). These locali ties are within some of th e most heavi ly infested areas of the state. Melville H. Hatch. the preeminent coleopterist in the Pacific Northwest. coll ected a sigllit-i cant number of H. g ibbico/lis ncar the Long Beach Penin sul a of south westcrn Washington (Hatch and Kinca id 19S5). Hi s record s do not indicate whether these insects we re captured while sweeping fore sted arcas. or if he gathered infested wood and later coll ected emerging adults. In our ex perience it is ex tremely difficult to sweep heavil y forested areas fo r these tles. so beating trays or other collecting meth ods may have been uti li zed. The greatest coll ecting successes result when wood from infested structures is obtained , and emerging adults arc captured under controll ed condition s. Most coll ections of H. g ibbico/li.\· have been made along coastal areas of the western United States. Canada , and Alaska (S uomi 1992: appendi x 2). No coll ecti ons liave been reported from coastal areas south ofCalilo rni a probably because the cli mati c conditions are too dry to fa vor larval survi va l. Two unu sual sites were reported from Glacier National Park. Montana anri Yellowstone National Park . Wyoming (Fig. I). These probably represent atypic'al record s. and the nati ve range for thi s in sect is along the Pac it-i c Coast of Nort h America . One other noteworthy co ll ection sitc was in Yakima County, Washington. near Mt. Rainier Nationa l Park. Although H. gibbico/lis can sur vive the ex treme climatic conditions fo und in eastern Washington (Table I). most coll ecti ons we re made in the milder climatic zones along coastal areas (Fig . 2. Suomi 1992: appendix 3).

'nlble I Temperature ex treme, (oC) in emergence containers and numhcrs o r If. gihhim/lis that emerged in eastern Washingto n.

Year Maximum Minimum No . Emerged

1 9~7 3S.0 - 190 -I 1 9 ~8 3-U - 20. 5 1-1 1')89 39.5 -- 270 16 1990 36.5 -· 18. 0 82

Secondary, structure-infesting anobiid beetles. Linsley (1943) and White (1982) described a num ber of anobiid species as capable of causing structural damage in the western states. However. during the building in spections conducted . on ly three anobiid species. in addition to H. g ibbico/lis, werc recovered. HadroiJrcgllllls (1 IIadrulll.1 is a known wood-in fest ing species but was on ly found in S.Y!" of in fested structures. Thi s beetle is commonl y associated with the wood-destroying fun gus . MCl'/lliporia illcraSSO/(l (Berkeley and Curti s) Murrill I = Poria illcrassota (Berkeley and Curti s) Burtl. which produces dry. rotten wood (Hatch 1962). Chamberlin (1949) recovered H . qlloe/I'/I/lls from Dou glas-fir beams in Oregon, whi le Spencer (1958) reported thi s species from numerous houses in Vancouver, Brit ish Columbia . XC.I!O/Jillill ollillc LeConte was somewhat less abundant and occurred in 2 C'!r' of homes in ves ti gated . This an obiid had not previously bee n reported to infest structural timber ~ . On fi ve separate occasions. adults of X. affille tapped their frons on a glass surface. approx­ imately 20-30 times during a .'i sec period , and repeated this proced ure 3-4 times. Rapid ta pp ing with a wooden pencil also eli cited a tapp ing respon se from the in sect. Birch and Keen lysid e (1991 ) reported simi lar behavior by X. rLlj(lV il/o.\·UIII which probabl y se rv es in mate locati on. At one time this tappi ng was assoc iated with a death in the household and Icd to the name deathwatch beetles for the family Anobiidae (Gahan and Laing 1932). These. along with H. gibbico/li.l. were th e only anobiids captured while sweep in g fo re sted areas. 60 J. ENTOMOL. Soc. BRIT. COL UMBI A 89. DECEMBER. 1992

BRITISH CAN ADA COLUMBIA

WASHINGTON MONTANA

OREGON WYOMIN G

UTAH COLORADO CALIFORNIA

NEW MEXICO

Figure I. Hemicoeills gihhico/lis distribution. western Un ited States.

BRITISH COLUMBIA VANCOUVER

OREGON

Figure 2. Hemicoc/ll s gihhicollis collect ion sires( + ): Wa shington. 1987 -91. 1. ENTOMOL. Soc. BRI T. COLUMBI A 89. D ECEMBER. 1992 61

Priubilllll P1l11Ctat1l1l1 was fo und in 2% of the homes examined . Chamberlin ( 1949) repo rted thi s anobiid from oak Aooring and furniture in California. The beetle was more common in eastern Washington and re adily appeared at bl ackli ght traps. Another structure­ infesting member of this genu s, P sericl'1I111 (Say), had been collected in eastern Washington homes and damaged fl ooring, woodwork. and furniture (White 1982). It was not found in any structure during thi s study. No col lections were made of A. Pili/etC/tum or X. ruluvi//osulll . Hatch (1938) reported A. plll1cta llIm as occurring in Washington, but thi s may have been a result of wood be ing imported from in fested areas. An unexpectedly largc number of coll ections were madc of the curculionid beetle. RhyIlCO/IlS brulll1l'IIS Mannerhe i m. Although Hatch ( 1971) described members of this genus as li ving under the bark of dead trees, these in sects were discovered in 8% of infested structures and appeared to move in after the wood had been attacked by an anobiid. usually H. g ibbicollis. Larvae and adu lts were found in surface layers of the wood and produced round , shiny. golden brown frass that is quite distinct from that of anobii ds. Chamberlin ( 1949) noted that RhvIlCO /IlS larvae li ve in sapwood and damage wood in much the same way as anobiid larvae. This species is fo und in the wood of many but pre fers the drier portions. Little is known about its habits (Hatch 1962).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank Jan and Red Butler. Terry Whitworth, Fred Ellis, and many other pest control operators in Washington and Orcgon for their help in locating anobiid-infested structures. We thank the curators of the foll owing collections for assistance in documenting the distribution of H. g ibbico//is: California Academy of Sciences. Golden Gate Park. San Franc iso. CA: James Entomological Collecti on. Washington State University. Pullman, WA ; Museum of Comparative Zoology. Harvard University. Cambridge. MA: Oregon State University Entomological Museum, Corvallis, OR; Systematic Entomology Laboratory. U.S. National Museum . Washington, D.C.; Spencer Entomologic al Museum. University of British Columbia, Vancouver. B.C.: and UCR Entomological Teaching and Research Coll ection . University of California. Riverside. CA. We also thank Richard E. White. Systematic Entomology Laboratory. fo r assistance with the anobiid identificati ons and Brian Raynes for help in coll ecting beetle-infested wood.

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