Byers, J.A., Lanne, B.S., Löfqvist, J., Schlyter, F. &
Bergström, G. 1985. Olfactory recognition of host-tree
susceptibility by pine shoot beetles. Naturwissenschaften
72:324-326.
Abstract--
Storm-fallen Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) with broken roots and trees with severed tops
exude wound oleoresin. These trees are susceptible to bark beetles due to
an injured vascular system that can not provide adequate oleoresin in
order to resis new attacks by beetles [1]. Once a tree is attacked, most
bark beetles use pheromone attractants to locate mates and often to
overcome tree resistance through a mass attack [1,2]. It would be clearly
advantageous for bark beetles to have evolved sensory systems for efficiently
locating their host and in recognizing whether a particular host was less
resistant than most healthy trees. However, little is known of how bark
beetles select their host from among other plant and tree species [1],
or what may attract the first individuals to a susceptible host. We have
investigated the semiochemical basis of the mass aggregation of pine shoot
beetles, Tomicus piniperda (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), on storm-injured
Scots pine.
We found that the beetle can recognize while still in flight
a host tree and whether it is susceptible by means of olfaction of three
plant monoterpenes (terpinolene, alpha-pinene, and 3-carene) evaporating
from wound oleoresin.
Chemical Ecology