Ambrosia beetles ( C urculionidae: S colytinae and P latypodinae) on F agus crenata   B lume: community structure, seasonal population trends and resource utilization patterns

• Published in: Entomological science Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 167 - 180
• Main Authors: Iidzuka, Hiroaki, Goto, Hideaki, Yamasaki, Michimasa, Osawa, Naoya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.04.2014
• ISSN: 1343-8786; 1479-8298
• DOI: 10.1111/ens.12042

Abstract Ambrosia beetles (many S colytinae and all P latypodinae) are one of the most important insect pests for forestry worldwide, but little is known about the community structure of ambrosia beetles in terms of their vertical variations and resource utilization. We clarified the community structure and seasonal population trends of ambrosia beetles on 11 living and three newly dead F agus crenata   B lume trees using individual tube traps placed up to 10 m high from M ay to N ovember in 2007 and 2008. We captured seven scolytine species ( A mbrosiodmus lewisi ( B landford), E uwallacea validus ( E ichhoff), T rypodendron proximum ( N iisima), X yleborinus saxeseni ( R atzeburg), X yleborus atratus   E ichhoff, X ylosandrus brevis ( E ichhoff) and X ylosandrus germanus ( B landford)) and three platypodine species ( C rossotarsus niponicus   B landford, P latypus hamatus   B landford and P latypus severini   B landford). The ambrosia beetles were suggested to breed at species‐specific height ranges, with the equal host resource use per individual among the species. Of the three major species, C . niponicus , P . hamatus and P . severini , two ( C .  niponicus and  P . hamatus ) had male‐biased sex ratios, which is considered a reproductive strategy to increase maternal fitness. Morphological characteristics of the mandibles may play an important role in the difference of sex roles on reproduction in the three major species.