Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex Pheromone

Elaterid female sex pheromone, while currently used for monitoring the adult life stage (click beetle), has only recently been explored as a potential management tool. Consequently, there is little understanding of how abiotic and biotic conditions influence the response of click beetles to the pher...

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Main Authors: Joyce P. S. Leung, Jenny S. Cory, J. Todd Kabaluk, Alida F. Janmaat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:Insects
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/11/729
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author Joyce P. S. Leung
Jenny S. Cory
J. Todd Kabaluk
Alida F. Janmaat
author_facet Joyce P. S. Leung
Jenny S. Cory
J. Todd Kabaluk
Alida F. Janmaat
author_sort Joyce P. S. Leung
collection DOAJ
description Elaterid female sex pheromone, while currently used for monitoring the adult life stage (click beetle), has only recently been explored as a potential management tool. Consequently, there is little understanding of how abiotic and biotic conditions influence the response of click beetles to the pheromone. We examined whether the response of male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) beetles to a cellulose-based formulation of female sex pheromone (‘pheromone granules’) is influenced by air movement, presence of visible light, and month of beetle collection. In addition, we investigated the distance from which beetles were attracted to the pheromone granules. Click beetle response was determined by measuring movement parameters in free-walking arena experiments. The response to pheromone was not affected by the presence or absence of visible light. We found that beetles collected earlier in the season had increased activity and interaction with pheromone under moving air conditions, compared to beetles collected later. When controlling for storage time, we confirmed that individuals collected in May were less active than beetles collected in March and April. In the field, beetles were recaptured from up to 14 m away from a pheromone granule source, with over 50% being recovered within 4.4 h from a distance of 7 m or less. Understanding how abiotic and biotic factors affect pest response to pheromone can lead to more effective and novel uses of pheromone-based management strategies.
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spelling doaj.art-a957b3e6042e46bda1525ef18ff223502023-11-20T18:30:56ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502020-10-01111172910.3390/insects11110729Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex PheromoneJoyce P. S. Leung0Jenny S. Cory1J. Todd Kabaluk2Alida F. Janmaat3Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaAgriculture and Agri-Food, Agassiz, BC V0M 1A2, CanadaBiology Department, University of the Fraser Valley, 33844 King Rd, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8, CanadaElaterid female sex pheromone, while currently used for monitoring the adult life stage (click beetle), has only recently been explored as a potential management tool. Consequently, there is little understanding of how abiotic and biotic conditions influence the response of click beetles to the pheromone. We examined whether the response of male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) beetles to a cellulose-based formulation of female sex pheromone (‘pheromone granules’) is influenced by air movement, presence of visible light, and month of beetle collection. In addition, we investigated the distance from which beetles were attracted to the pheromone granules. Click beetle response was determined by measuring movement parameters in free-walking arena experiments. The response to pheromone was not affected by the presence or absence of visible light. We found that beetles collected earlier in the season had increased activity and interaction with pheromone under moving air conditions, compared to beetles collected later. When controlling for storage time, we confirmed that individuals collected in May were less active than beetles collected in March and April. In the field, beetles were recaptured from up to 14 m away from a pheromone granule source, with over 50% being recovered within 4.4 h from a distance of 7 m or less. Understanding how abiotic and biotic factors affect pest response to pheromone can lead to more effective and novel uses of pheromone-based management strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/11/729chemical ecologyattraction distanceenvironmental factorsbehaviorpest management
spellingShingle Joyce P. S. Leung
Jenny S. Cory
J. Todd Kabaluk
Alida F. Janmaat
Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex Pheromone
Insects
chemical ecology
attraction distance
environmental factors
behavior
pest management
title Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex Pheromone
title_full Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex Pheromone
title_fullStr Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex Pheromone
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex Pheromone
title_short Effect of Collection Month, Visible Light, and Air Movement on the Attraction of Male <i>Agriotes obscurus</i> L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Click Beetles to Female Sex Pheromone
title_sort effect of collection month visible light and air movement on the attraction of male i agriotes obscurus i l coleoptera elateridae click beetles to female sex pheromone
topic chemical ecology
attraction distance
environmental factors
behavior
pest management
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/11/729
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