Search Results (13)

Aromia bungii Faldermann (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) is one of the most serious stem-boring pests that infests Rosaceae fruit trees and ornamental trees. This study, based on occurrence data for this species, employed the MaxEnt model and meta-analysis method to predict the distribution range and centroid movement of A. bungii under the current and future climates in China. The study also analyzed the impact of environmental variables on its distribution. The meta-analysis results revealed that A. bungii has the highest distribution density within the altitude range of 0 to 300 m. The MaxEnt model identified six key environmental variables influencing the distribution of A. bungii, namely the minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio6), mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8), precipitation of the wettest month (bio13), precipitation of the driest month (bio14), precipitation seasonality (coefficient of variation) (bio15), and altitude. Under the current climate conditions, the most suitable distribution range of A. bungii is located between 92.6–120.38° E and 16.17–44.46° N, with highly suitable areas predominantly found in the North China Plain, the Shandong Hills, the area around the Bohai Sea, and the middle–lower reaches of the Yangtze River, covering a total area of 41.43 × 10⁴ km². Scenarios related to the future climate indicate a shift in the suitable habitats of A. bungii towards higher latitudes, with the centroid of the potentially suitable area shifting towards the northeast. This study provides supporting information for the control and management of this pest. Full article

The introduction of wood-boring insects to non-native areas can pose a significant threat to global forest ecosystems. Aromia bungii and Massicus raddei, native to Asia including Korea but potentially important in urban forestry worldwide, are severe trunk borers that have recently infested host trees in urban landscapes of Korea. The signs of external injury can help identify cerambycid-infested trees. However, assessing the internal condition of trees without causing damage is challenging, which hinders the management of infested trees that are still alive. This study evaluated the potential use of sonic tomography to assess injury characteristics in the woody parts of trees, such as Prunus × yedoensis and Quercus palustris infested by A. bungii and M. raddei, respectively. Among the 45 investigated trees, the number of holes on external parts was recorded by visual examination. Sonic tomography images revealed decayed areas, allowing for a comparison of internal damage between infested and non-infested trees. The internal status of trees infested by the two cerambycid beetles differed from that of healthy trees. While some healthy trees exhibited minimal internal damage, those that were not infested by beetles showed decayed areas, potentially caused by non-biological factors such as frozen cracks. In conclusion, sonic tomography equipment can potentially be used for non-invasive assessment of internal injuries caused by wood-boring insects in urban trees. Full article

Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an economically important wood-boring insect pest of stone fruit trees, particularly Prunus persica, in China. It has entered Japan and several European countries as an invasive species in recent years. It is difficult to control because of the cryptic feeding behaviour of larvae beneath the bark. Identification of repellent constituents from non-host plants has potential for use in management strategies against this beetle. Mentha spicata is cultivated extensively in Hebei Province (China) as a medicinal plant. Firstly, antennal responses of female A. bungii to M. spicata volatiles were evaluated by coupled gas chromatography-electroantennograms (GC-EAD), and then the EAD-active components were tested in semi-field trials. The results showed that A. bungii females were significantly repelled by myrcene, (S)-(+)-carvone, (E)-β-caryophyllene, and borneol compared with the control. The presence of myrcene (100 µL; 90% purity), (S)-(+)-carvone (200 µL; 96% purity), (E)-β-caryophyllene (500 µL; 98.5% purity), and borneol (800 µL; 80% purity) significantly reduced the perching rates of A. bungii females on both peach logs and leaves. Considering cost and commercial availability, we suggest that myrcene, (S)-(+)-carvone, and (E)-β-caryophyllene could be promising repellents against A. bungii females in the field. Full article

A thorough understanding of the seasonal prevalence of invasive pests in newly invaded regions is key for establishing an appropriate and localized control plan for their successful eradication. In this study, we investigated the seasonal prevalence of the invasive longhorn beetle Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. We determined the number of adult beetles sighted on host trees more than once a week from late May or early June to late August for 3 years at three study sites (one site from 2019–2021 and two sites from 2020–2021). The appearance period of A. bungii adults spanned over 2 months (June–August), and peak sighting in the field occurred in late June; the adults were more abundant in the early phase of their seasonal prevalence (around the peak dates) and almost disappeared by August. The number of adult beetles emerging from A. bungii-infested trees at one study site was surveyed daily in 2021. This survey showed a short-span adult emergence period: Approximately 1 month from the first emergence day, supporting the idea of the concentration of adult abundance in the early phase. These results will help to establish a timely pest-control plan for A. bungii in Osaka Prefecture. Full article

Aromia bungii (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an invasive pest, damaging Rosaceae trees (particularly Prunus) in Japan and Europe. The establishment of this beetle in Japan was first detected in 2012, and subsequently, it has rapidly expanded its distribution. Currently, Japanese populations of A. bungii are widely distributed in six non-contiguous regions. In this study, we compared the nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 of the populations in these six regions in Japan to examine whether multiple introductions or human-mediated long-distance dispersal have contributed to the non-contiguous distribution of A. bungii. Seven haplotypes were detected from Japanese populations, and one of these was identical to a sequence deposited from China. One to two haplotypes were detected in each region, suggesting a genetic bottleneck. Detected haplotypes differed between introduced regions, although two regions shared a single haplotype. These results suggest that multiple independent introductions of A. bungii have contributed to its non-contiguous distribution in Japan. Quarantine measures for wood-packing materials in trade need to be strengthened to prevent the establishment of further populations of A. bungii. Full article

We investigated the ecological traits of emerging adults and the boring density in Aromia bungii-infested flowering cherry (Cerasus × yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’) and peach (Prunus persica) trees to evaluate their suitability as food resources for A. bungii, and their vulnerability to infestation. The number of adults per m³ that emerged from P. persica was 10-times larger than from C. × yedoensis, and the numbers of emergence holes, entrance holes, and pupal chambers were also larger in P. persica logs. The lifetime fecundity of adults that emerged from P. persica was also higher. Elytral length, sex ratios, and adult lifespans did not differ between the two host trees. Our results indicate that peach trees provide more suitable conditions than do flowering cherry trees for A. bungii larvae. Although flowering cherry trees, primarily C. × yedoensis, which are currently grown as street or ornamental trees in Japan, have been more severely affected by A. bungii to date, the greater risk in the long term is to P. persica, an agricultural species in the main producing areas surrounding the Kanto region. Full article

The red-necked longicorn beetle, Aromia bungii (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is a major destructive, wood-boring pest, which is widespread throughout the world. The sex pheromone of A. bungii was reported earlier; however, the chemosensory mechanism of the beetle remains almost unknown. In this study, 45 AbunORs, 6 AbunGRs and 2 AbunIRs were identified among 42,197 unigenes derived from the antennal transcriptome bioinformatic analysis of A. bungii adults. The sequence of putative Orco (AbunOR25) found in this study is highly conserved with the known Orcos from other Coleoptera species, and these Orco genes might be potentially used as target genes for the future development of novel and effective control strategies. Tissue expression analysis showed that 29 AbunOR genes were highly expressed in antennae, especially in the antennae of females, which was consistent with the idea that females might express more pheromone receptors for sensing pheromones, especially the sex pheromones produced by males. AbunOR5, 29, 31 and 37 were clustered with the pheromone receptors of the cerambycid Megacyllene caryae, suggesting that they might be putative pheromone receptors of A. bungii. All six AbunGRs were highly expressed in the mouthparts, indicating that these GRs may be involved in the taste perception process. Both AbunIRs were shown to be female-mouthparts-biased, suggesting that they might also be related to the tasting processes. Our study provides some basic information towards a deeper understanding of the chemosensing mechanism of A. bungii at a molecular level. Full article

The expanding distribution and tree damage of the invasive, primary wood-borer Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), which kills trees of the Rosaceae family, is a problem in intruded areas. However, the tree characteristics associated with infestation by A. bungii, which are useful for early detection or prioritizing preventive measures, are not well examined. We investigated the presence or absence of tree damage (response variable) in pre- and post- surveys along with tree characteristics (four explanatory variables; bark roughness, size, species, and vigor) on monitoring trees in uninvaded sites (survey for the first trees to be damaged) and already invaded sites (survey for the next trees to be damaged). We evaluated the variables using generalized linear mixed models for each site (i.e., a first trees model and a next trees model). Three tree characteristics (bark roughness, size, and vigor) were included as explanatory variables in both best models, indicating that trees with rough surface bark, large in size, and weakened conditions were more susceptible to A. bungii infestation. The reasons for the difference between the two models (species was only chosen in the next trees model) will be considered in our future work. Full article

The red-necked longhorn beetle (RLB; Aromia bungii [Faldermann, 1835]) is an emerging invasive pest. From its native range of East Asia, it invaded Europe and Japan in the early 2010s. Despite its increasing importance, the molecular resources of RLB are scarce, and its invasive dynamics are largely unknown. In the present study, we carried out the first analysis of its population genetic structure in South Korea, which is part of its native range, using 1248 bp cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of 199 individuals from 18 localities. We found that in South Korea, RLB has a moderate population genetic structure and can be divided into three geographical subgroups: central, southeastern, and southwestern subgroup. Comparative analyses with two Chinese, one German, and ten Italian RLB sequences yielded non-significant results because of largely missing genetic data from other native areas. Nevertheless, as it provided the first population genetic data for this invasive alien species (IAS) whose range is increasing, our research is a crucial molecular resource for future invasive dynamics research. Full article

In recent years, insecticide trunk injection was put into practical use for controlling wood boring pests. However, few studies have investigated the dose–response relationships between insecticides and wood–boring pests in detail. This study used two commercial formulations of the neonicotinoid insecticides thiamethoxam and dinotefuran and investigated their dose–response relationships with invasive wood borer Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae. Neonates and late instar larvae were reared with an artificial diet containing different insecticide concentrations (0.01–100 ppm) in the laboratory, and their diet excavation activity, survival rate, and weight change were recorded. Diet excavation immediately dropped in larvae exposed to high concentrations of thiamethoxam or dinotefuran (≥1 ppm in neonates and ≥10 ppm in late instar larvae). The weight and survival rate gradually declined over 12 weeks in late instar larvae. These results suggest that the two neonicotinoids intoxicate and debilitate A. bungii larvae gradually to death. In practical use, rapid suppression of A. bungii wood boring damage can be expected by trunk injection of neonicotinoid insecticides. However, a relatively long-term retention of the insecticides may be required to kill large larvae. Neonates may be controlled with lower insecticide dosage and shorter exposure than larger larvae. Full article

Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), the red-necked longhorn beetle is native to eastern Asia, where it is an important wood-borer of fruit and ornamental species of the genus Prunus. A. bungii is a quarantine pest in the European Union, following its accidental introduction and establishment in Germany and Italy, and is currently included in the list of priority pests. To confirm its infestations in outbreak areas, adult or larval specimens are needed to perform morphological or molecular analyses. The presence of A. bungii larvae inside the attacked trees makes the collection of specimens particularly difficult. Thus, we present two diagnostic protocols based on frass analysis with real-time PCR (probe and SYBR Green). The results obtained show that a non-invasive approach for detecting the presence of this harmful invasive pest can be a reliable and accurate alternative diagnostic tool in phytosanitary surveys, as well as to outline a sustainable pest management strategy. Full article

Background: The red-necked longhorn beetle, Aromia bungii, is one of the most damaging pests of stone fruit trees. Native to the south-eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions, it invaded and is established to some extent in the Campania Region (Southern Italy). In several cerambycid species, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been shown to play a role in mate and host plant location. Methods: The electroantennographic (EAG) technique was employed to explore the antennal chemoreceptivity of male and female A. bungii antennae to 90 VOCs. Results: Increasing EAG amplitudes from the basal to the distal antennal segments were recorded in response to six selected plant volatiles. From the distal flagellomeres, the largest EAG responses (>0.8 mV) were elicited by 2-hexanol, octanal, sulcatone, guaiacol, sulcatol, 2,4-dimethyl-3-hexanol, 2,4-dimethyl-2-hexanone, heptanal, nonanal, (Z)-3-hexenol, and 1-heptanol in both sexes, and by linalool, (E)-2-heptenal, 1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-octenal, 3-octanol, (E)-2-octen-1-ol, α-phellandrene, and α-terpinene in males. The olfactory system of both sexes proved to be sensitive to changes in stimulus concentration and compound structure. Conclusions: this study demonstrates the capability of A. bungii males and females to detect and discriminate among a wide range of VOCs and provides a basis for further olfactometer and field trapping experiments aimed at identifying behaviorally-active compounds useful for the implementation of semiochemical-based control strategies for this pest. Full article

Background: It has been proved that chemical signals play an important role in mating location and reproductive behavior in cerambycids; moreover, they rely on contact chemoreception for mate recognition. Methods: Adult antennae of Aromia bungii were observed using scanning electron microscopy and adult antennal secretions were collected and analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results: Twelve different types of sensilla were morphologically described on the antennae of A. bungii. At least six mechanoreceptors—one gustative, one putative chemo- or thermoreceptor, and three multiporous olfactory receptors—are present on the antennae of both sexes while a receptor-type of unclear function is limited to males. Secretions associated with sensilla basiconica were observed for the first time in a cerambycid species. Conclusions: Sensilla basiconica should play a role in odor perception detecting host tree volatiles and/or pheromones. Sensilla basiconica type 1 and 2 produce a viscous material accumulating on the antennal surface. Chemical analysis of adult antennal secretions highlighted marked differences between sexes. Some of the identified compounds have been previously reported as contact pheromone components of other cerambycid species. Our observations strongly suggest sensilla basiconica as the production sites of compounds involved in mate recognition. Full article