Development of an insecticidal bait for combined use with netting to control the invasive red‐necked longhorn beetle, Aromia bungii , emerging from tree trunks

BACKGROUND Invasive wood‐boring pests cause significant damage to trees worldwide. Here we designed an insecticidal bait device to attract and kill adult red‐necked longhorn beetles ( Aromia bungii ; Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) that emerge from tree trunks and are captured in netting installed around the trunks. RESULTS Insecticides were screened in laboratory dietary toxicity tests and attractants were evaluated in net‐cage choice tests. Acetamiprid was selected as the active insecticide and sugar–vinegar solution as the attractant. Bottle‐based bait devices were constructed to deliver the liquid bait via an exposed wick from which the adult beetles could feed. In a quasi‐field trial, the bait devices achieved 100% mortality of adult A. bungii within several days of their emergence from netted peach branches. In field trials targeting adults emerging from cherry tree trunks, mortality rates were lower and varied from 22% to 81%. Increasing the size of the bait device improved its killing efficacy. CONCLUSION Insecticidal baits have the potential to effectively control adult A. bungii emerging from netted trees. However, for practical application, further improvements in efficacy are needed, particularly through the identification of more potent attractants and the optimization of bait formulations.