Patterns of occurrence, phenology, and phylogeny of Phloeosinus punctatus LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in giant sequoia.

ABSTRACT: Here, we describe patterns of reproduction and flight phenology of putative Phloeosinus punctatus in giant sequoia groves and compare morphology and genotypes of beetles from sympatric giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and California incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens). Surveys conducted in 2022 revealed that numerous branches fall from giant sequoia crowns (on average ~30 branches/tree), with 20%-50% of trees per site shedding branches, depositing breeding material for beetles on the forest floor that subsequently becomes colonized. When noninfested branches cut from mature giant sequoias were placed at the ground surface, they were colonized by P. punctatus and produced an average of 28 beetles/kg branch. Climbing and examination of sequoia crowns in 2023 showed that 75% of matur

SUBMITTER: Foote NE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11649343 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature