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Eucalyptus Longhorn Beetles Phoracantha
semipunctata (Fab.) &
Phorocantha recurva Newman Coleoptera: Cerambycidae |
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Eucalyptus trees had few insect pests or diseases for over a century
in California. However, at least three
feeding guilds of insects, including borers, defoliators and sap-feeding
insects gradually invaded. Most of
these do not pose serious threats to some
eucalyptus species where irrigation is adequate (Paine et al, 2000). Over 85 of the more than 698 species in
the tree genus Eucalyptus have
been introduced into North America. Eucalyptus spp. are native to Australia
and New Guinea. Low water
requirements, tolerance of poor soils, and, few insect pests and diseases
have made eucalyptus desirable for residential areas. In
California, eucalyptus trees were first grown from seed brought from
Australia. Therefore, insect pests
and diseases associated with growing plants were not introduced with living
trees. Later direct imports of trees
in the 1980's the eucalyptus longhorned borer, Phoracantha semipunctata, invaded in Orange County in
1984. Then about ten years after the
introduction of P. semipunctata,
a second cerambycid species, Phoracantha
recurva, invaded. These
are large beetles, often more than
an inch in length. They have long
antennae, which appear as long
horns. The two species are easily
separated by the patterns on the elytra that lie across their back. P.
semipunctata and P. recurva
have already invaded most world regions where Eucalyptus can
grow. Thus
far these insects primarily kill temperate zone eucalyptus trees. The more tropical species that produce a
copious amount of resinous substances under the bark, appear to be relatively
immune to successful attack. Efforts to
secure natural enemies of these pests were initiated at the University of
California, Riverside. Dr. Mark
Hoddle of the University of California reported that natural enemies of the
beetles that are considered as candidates for importation are an egg parasitoid,
Avetianella longoi, and the
ichneumonid, Helcostizus rufiscutum Cushman. The parasitoid Patasson nitens (Girault) was imported from
South Africa to combat Eucalyptus Snout Beetle. Based on the earlier success of this parasitoid in South Africa (see <ch-42.htm>), biological control would be expected to be
successful in California. However,
the work on other pests s in progress and too new to report definite results,
although at least one species of parasitic Hymenoptera appears to be
established. Many of the eucalyptus
species that were originally introduced from Tasmania and southern portions
of the Australian continent are in the final stages of mortality as they
receive less irrigation water with disappearing citrus groves. The eucalyptus species originating from
more tropical latitudes have survived quite well, probably due to their
ability to secrete more copious resin.
The picture becomes more uncertain as new species of invaded
psyllids reduce the vigor of these
trees. REFERENCES: Ben Jamaa, M. L., C. Villemant & S. M’Nar. 2002.
Phoracantha recurva Newman,
1840: a new pest of Eucalyptus in
Tunisia [Coleoptera, Cerambycidae]. Revue Frantaise
d’Entomologie 24(1): 19-21. Bercedo, P. P. &
P. P. Bahillo. 1999. Primera cita para Europa de Phoracantha recurva Newman, 1840
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Estudios
del Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Álava 14:
169-174. Bianchi, M, E. Morelli. & A. Sanchez. 2000.
The morphology of the immature stages of Phoracantha recurva Newman 1840 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
and a key to larvae of the species of Phoracantha
in Uruguay. In:
Proceedings of the XXI International Congress of Entomology, Foz do Iguassu,
Brazil. Page 460. Dahlsten, D. L., E. P. Hansen, R. L. Zuparka & R. B.
Norgaard. 1998a. Biological control of the blue gum psyllid
proves economically beneficial.
Califalifornia Agriculture 52 (1):
35-40. Dahlsten, D. L., D. L. Rowney, W. A. Copper, et
al. 1998b. Parasitoid wasp controls blue gum psyllid. Calif. Agric. 52 (1): 31-34. Hanks, L. M., J. G. Millar & T. D. Paine. 1995.
Biological constraints on host range expansion by the wood-boring
beetle Phoracantha semipunctata
F. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
Annals Entomol. Soc. America
88: 183-188. Hanks, L. M., J. R. Gould, T. D. Paine, J. G. Millar
& Q. Wang. 1995.
Biology and host relations of Avetianella
longoi, an egg parasitoid of the Eucalyptus longhorned borer. Annals Entomology Soc. America 88: 666-671. Hanks, L. M., T. D. Paine, J. G. Millar & J. L.
Hom. 1994. Variation among Eucalyptus
species in resistance to eucalyptus longhorned borer in southern
California. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 74:
185-194. Hanks, L. M., J. G. Millar, & T. D. Paine. 1997.
Host range expansion of Helcostizus
rufiscutum Cushman (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) to include Phoracantha semipunctata F. (Coleoptera:
Cerambycidae) in California.
Pan-Pacific Entomol. 73:
190-191. Hanks, L. M., T. D. Paine, & J. G. Millar. 1996.
A tiny wasp comes to the aid of California's Eucalyptus trees. Calif. Agric. 50: 14-16. Miquel, M. E.
2008. The presence of Phoracantha recurva (Newman)
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in France and how to differentiate it from P. semipunctata. British Journal of Entomology and Natural
History 21 (3): 193-194. Morelli, E, M. Bianchi & A. Sanchez. 2002.
The immature stages of Phoracantha
recurva Newman, 1842 and Phoracantha
semipunctata Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) and a key to
the larvae of these species.
Brazilian Journal of Biology 62 (4b):
853-860. Paine, T. D., J. G. Millar & L. M. Hanks. 1995.
Biology of the Eucalyptus longhorned borer in California and
development of an integrated management program for the urban forest. California Agriculture 49:
34-37. Paine, T. D., J. G. Millar, T .S. Bellows, & L.
M. Hanks. 1997. Enlisting an under-appreciated clientele:
public participation in distribution and evaluation of natural enemies in
urban landscapes. American Entomologist
43: 163-172. Paine, T. D., D. L. Dahlsten, J. G. Millar, M. S.
Hoddle & L. M. Hanks. 2000. University of California scientists apply
IPM techniques to new eucalyptus pests.
California Agriculture 54 (6):
8-13. Scriven, G. T., E. L. Reeves & R. F. Luck. 1986.
Beetle from Australia threatens eucalyptus. California Agriculture 40 (4):
4-6. |