A FAUNAL SURVEY OF COLEOPTERA, HEMIPTERA (HETEROPTERA), AND LEPIDOPTERA ASSOCIATED WITH FRAXINUS PENNSYLVANICA MARSHALL (OLEACEAE) IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science By James Samuel Walker In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Major Department: Entomology March 2014 Fargo, North Dakota North Dakota State University Graduate School North DakotaTitle State University North DaGkroadtaua Stet Sacteho Uolniversity A FAUNAL SURVEYG rOFad COLEOPTERA,uate School HEMIPTERA (HETEROPTERA), AND LEPIDOPTERA ASSOCIATED WITH Title A FFRAXINUSAUNAL S UPENNSYLVANICARVEY OF COLEO MARSHALLPTERTAitl,e HEM (OLEACEAE)IPTERA (HET INER THEOPTE REDRA), AND LAE FPAIDUONPATLE RSUAR AVSESYO COIFA CTOEDLE WOIPTTHE RFRAA, XHIENMUISP PTENRNAS (YHLEVTAENRICOAP TMEARRAS),H AANLDL RIVER VALLEY OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA L(EOPLIDEAOCPTEEAREA) I ANS TSHOEC RIAETDE RDI VWEITRH V FARLALXEIYN UOSF P EEANSNTSEYRLNV ANNOICRAT HM DAARKSHOATALL (OLEACEAE) IN THE RED RIVER VAL LEY OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA ByB y By JAMESJAME SSAMUEL SAMUE LWALKER WALKER JAMES SAMUEL WALKER TheThe Su pSupervisoryervisory C oCommitteemmittee c ecertifiesrtifies t hthatat t hthisis ddisquisition isquisition complies complie swith wit hNorth Nor tDakotah Dako ta State State University’s regulations and meets the accepted standards for the degree of The Supervisory Committee certifies that this disquisition complies with North Dakota State University’s regulations and meets the accepted standards for the degree of University’s regulations and meetMASTERs the acce pOFted SCIENCE standards for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE MASTER OF SCIENCE SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: David A. Rider DCoa-­CCo-Chairvhiadi rA. Rider Co-­Chair Janet J. Knodel JCaon-­CCo-Chairehta iJr. Knodel Co-­Chair Joseph D. Zeleznik Joseph D. Zeleznik Peter G. Oduor Pet er G. Oduor Approved: AppApproved:roved: Nov. 6, 2014 Frank Casey Nov.D 6at,e 2014 FDreapanrtkm eCnt aCsheaiyr Date Department Chair Date Department Chair ABSTRACT The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis; EAB) is an invasive wood-boring beetle causing mortality of ash trees in North America. This project was initiated because of the threat of EAB moving into North Dakota. The main objective was to establish a baseline of insects associated with ash (Fraxinus) in the Red River Valley of North Dakota before EAB arrives. Taxonomic groups focused on include: Coleoptera, Hemiptera (Heteroptera), and Lepidoptera. Ten sites were surveyed regularly. Sites were chosen due to their ash content: nine sites contained green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and one site contained black ash (F. nigra). Surveying was performed during the months of May through September in 2010 and 2011. Overall, 4,301 specimens from 53 families in three orders were identified in this study, totalling at least 276 distinct taxa. 23 of the species collected and identified in this study were found to be associated with Fraxinus. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr. David A. Rider and Dr. Janet J. Knodel, my co-advisors, for their patient guidance and support on this project. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Joseph Zeleznik and Dr. Peter Oduor for their support. Special thanks to Dr. Gerald M. Fauske for his invaluable advice and assistance with identification and field work. Thanks also to Patrick Beauzay for his help and advice. A sincere thanks to the student workers who helped tremendously with processing specimens, Nilukshi Fonseka, Parminder Kaur, and Rachel Colwell. I also extend my sincere appreciation to my wife, Kirsten Birst, my parents, Stan and Jean, and my sister Jenny for their continued encouragement and support. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................... ix INTRODUCTION .............................................................1 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................2 Emerald Ash Borer ..........................................................2 General Overview ........................................................2 Hosts ..................................................................4 Biology ................................................................6 Symptoms of Emerald Ash Borer Attack ......................................8 Pest Management Efforts ..................................................9 Fraxinus .................................................................11 North American Distribution of Fraxinus pennsylvanica .........................11 Fraxinus in North Dakota .................................................11 Importance of Fraxinus ...................................................13 Potential Ecological Effects ...............................................14 Coleoptera Thought to be Ash-Obligates in North America ..........................15 Hemiptera (Heteroptera) Thought to be Ash-Obligates in North America. 17 Lepidoptera Thought to be Ash-Obligates in North America .........................18 MATERIALS AND METHODS .................................................20 Collection Methods .........................................................20 Beating Sheet Collecting ..................................................20 Lindgren Funnel Traps ...................................................21 Windowpane Flight Intercept Traps .........................................22 Study Sites ...............................................................24 v Brewer Lake Cass County Park and Campgrounds .............................27 Albert K. Ekre Grassland Preserve ..........................................28 Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge. 29 The Chrisan Subdivision ..................................................30 TreFoil Park ...........................................................30 Lake Elsie .............................................................31 Lower Wild Rice and Red River Cemetery ...................................31 Jay V. Wessels State Wildlife Management Area ...............................32 Additional Survey Sites ..................................................32 Insect Identification .........................................................34 Biodiversity Indices ........................................................34 RESULTS ...................................................................36 Coleoptera Identifications ....................................................40 Overview of Coleoptera With Fraxinus as a Host .................................43 Coleoptera With Questionable Associations With Fraxinus ..........................47 Hemiptera (Heteroptera) Identifications .........................................47 Overview of Hemiptera (Heteroptera) With Fraxinus as a Host ......................49 Lepidoptera Identifications ...................................................52 Overview of Lepidoptera With Fraxinus as a Host ................................54 Lepidoptera With Questionable Associations With Fraxinus .........................55 Groups Not Included in this Study .............................................55 Acari .................................................................55 Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha and Auchenorrhyncha ..............................56 Hymenoptera ...........................................................57 Diptera. .57 DISCUSSION ................................................................58 Future Research ...........................................................60 vi CONCLUSIONS. 61 LITERATURE CITED .........................................................63 APPENDIX A. SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH FRAXINUS ...........................78 APPENDIX B. COLEOPTERA IDENTIFIED IN THIS SURVEY. 85 APPENDIX C. HEMIPTERA (HETEROPTERA) IDENTIFIED IN THIS SURVEY ........93 APPENDIX D. LEPIDOPTERA IDENTIFIED IN THIS SURVEY ......................96 vii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Trapping performed at each site, organized by year .............................24 2. Survey site trap heights and tree diameter ....................................33 3. Hemiptera (Heteroptera), Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera diversity organized by site. Sites regularly surveyed ..................................................38 4. Hemiptera (Heteroptera), Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera diversity organized by site. Sites not regularly surveyed ...............................................38 5. Hemiptera (Heteroptera), Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera diversity of Jay V. Wessels SWMA. 39 6. Coleoptera diversity organized by site. Sites regularly surveyed ...................41 7. Coleoptera diversity organized by site. Sites not regularly surveyed ................41 8. Coleoptera diversity of Jay V. Wessels SWMA organized by site ..................42 9. Hemiptera (Heteroptera) diversity organized by site. Sites regularly surveyed ........48 10. Hemiptera (Heteroptera) diversity organized by site. Sites not regularly surveyed .....48 11. Hemiptera (Heteroptera) diversity of Jay V. Wessels SWMA organized by site .......49 12. Lepidoptera diversity organized by site. Sites regularly surveyed ..................53 13. Lepidoptera