3 Exotic Bark and Ambrosia Beetles in the USA: Potential and Current Invaders
3 Exotic Bark and Ambrosia Beetles in the USA: Potential and Current Invaders Robert A. Haack1 and Robert J. Rabaglia2 1USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 1407 S Harrison Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA; 2USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, 1601 N Kent Street, RPC–7, Arlington, Virginia 22209, USA 3.1 Introduction Ambrosia beetle adults and larvae cultivate and feed on symbiotic ambrosia fungi that grow in Bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: the galleries (xylomycetophagous). Most scoly- Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are among the most tine species in tropical regions exhibit the important insects affecting trees and forests ambrosial habit, while most scolytines in tem- worldwide. There are approximately 6000 scoly- perate forests are true bark beetles. There are tine species worldwide, with species found on all also a number of species that breed in seeds, continents except Antarctica (Table 3.1) (Wood cones, roots of woody plants, and stems and and Bright, 1992; Bright and Skidmore, 1997, roots of non-woody plants (Wood, 1982; 2002; Wood, 2007). The majority of species are Sauvard, 2004). found in the tropics, but many also occur in boreal Most species of bark and ambrosia beetles forests. Undoubtedly, there are hundreds of addi- live in injured, weakened or dying woody plants, tional species that have not yet been described. and are often among the first insects to colonize Many authorities now consider the bark and such host material (Haack and Slansky, 1987; ambrosia beetles a subfamily (Scolytinae) of Sauvard, 2004). A few species aggressively the weevil family (Curculionidae) (Alonso- attack healthy trees, and during outbreaks cause Zarazaga and Lyal, 2009), while others continue extensive mortality of their host trees.
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