A Role for Intercept Traps in the Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) IPM Strategy at Ornamental Nurseries

Invasive ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) cause significant damage to ornamental nursery tree crops throughout the eastern United States. Depending on surrounding habitat, some nurseries can undergo large influxes of ambrosia beetles from the forest to susceptible nursery stock. Ethanol-baited intercept traps are highly effective as monitoring tools that can capture large numbers of dispersing ambrosia beetles. Beetle trap captures at varying distances within nursery interiors were determined across replicated transects that either included or lacked a row of edge intercept traps. Although nearly 90% of ambrosia beetle captures were from the edge intercept traps, there was no significant difference in nursery interior captures from replicates that were protected vs. unprotected by edge intercept traps. There may exist some benefit for integrating the intercept trap strategy with other control measures, but traps alone will not reliably protect vulnerable nursery stock.