Predators attracted to combination of bark beetle pheromones and host kairomones in pine forests of southeastern United States.

In 2006, we evaluated the effects of combining lures releasing pine host kairomones (ethanol + α-pinene) with lures releasing bark beetle pheromones (ipsenol + ipsdienol) on trap catches of predators associated with bark and woodboring beetles in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Virginia. Catches in traps baited with all 4 compounds were greater than those in traps baited with either binary blend for the common predators Thanasimus dubius (F.) (Coleoptera: Cleridae), Temnoscheila virescens (F.

Denser forests across the USA experience more damage from insects and pathogens.

Forests across much of the United States are becoming denser. Trees growing in denser stands experience more competition for essential resources, which can make them more vulnerable to disturbances. Forest density can be expressed in terms of basal area, a metric that has been used to assess vulnerability of some forests to damage by certain insects or pathogens.

Past and present individual-tree damage assessments of the US national forest inventory.

Identifying the signs and symptoms of pathogens, insects, and other biotic and abiotic agents provides valuable information about the absolute and relative impacts of different types of damage across the forest landscape. In the USA, damage collection protocols have been included in various forms since the initiation of state-level forest surveys in the early twentieth century; however, changes in the protocols over time have made it difficult for the data to be used to its full potential. This article outlines differences in protocols across inventory regions, changes in protocols over time, and limitations and utility of the data so that those interested in using the US national forest inventory database will better understand what data are available and how they have been and can be used.

Matsucoccus macrocicatrices (Hemiptera: Matsucoccidae): first report, distribution, and association with symptomatic eastern white pine in the southeastern United States.

We provide the first report of Matsucoccus macrocicatrices Richards (Hemiptera: Matsucoccidae) feeding and reproducing on eastern white pine, Pinus strobus L., in the southeastern United States. Until now, M.

Use of systemic fipronil and imidacloprid to control regeneration pests of loblolly pine.

Regeneration pests of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) threaten growth and survival in intensively managed loblolly pine plantations throughout the southeastern United States. The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), in particular, often reduces growth of loblolly pine but has been difficult to control with traditional insecticides due to multiple annual generations and multi-year infestations which are difficult to predict in timing and location.

Dose and enantiospecific responses of white pine cone beetles, Conophthorus coniperda, to alpha-Pinene in an eastern white pine seed orchard.

The white pine cone beetle, Conophthorus coniperda, exhibited dose and enantiospecific responses to alpha-pinene in stands of mature eastern white pine, Pinus strobus, in a seed orchard near Murphy, North Carolina, USA. (-)-alpha-Pinene significantly increased catches of cone beetles to traps baited with (+/-)-trans-pityol. (+)-alpha-Pinene did not increase catches of beetles to pityol-baited traps and interrupted the response of beetles to traps baited with (+/-)-trans-pityol and (-)-alpha-pinene.