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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

 

 

 

P. semipunctata

 

 

P. recurva

 

 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.