Phenology of Pinus radiata log colonization by the red-haired pine bark beetle Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius) (Coleoptera : Scolytidae) in the south-western Cape Province

Abstract

Hylurgus ligniperda is a minor pest of pine trees in South Africa. Weekly log trapping over five years showed that the activity peak, which accounted for 37% of the total number of beetles captured, occurred in April/May. Although beetles were present in every month, H. ligniperda is active mainly in the cooler months with lowest numbers captured in summer. Comparisons between the three exotic scolytid pine bark beetles present in South Africa, (H. ligniperda, Orthotomicus erosus & Hylastes angustatus) showed that their population peaks are temporally separated. H. ligniperda may thus be of value as a bridging host for introduced biological control agents for the other two species.