The impact of flight on subsequent semiochemical-mediated communication in the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

Sunday, November 10, 2024

10:24 AM – 10:36 AM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 225 A, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

ME

Maya L. Evenden (she/her/hers)

Professor
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Co-Author(s)

Kelsey Jones

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Leanne N. Petro

MSc student
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Antonia Elizabeth Musso

PhD candidate
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
RR

Rahmatollah Rajabzadeh

University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
GI

Guncha Ishangulyyeva

University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
NE

Nadir Erbilgin

Professor and Chair
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Flight polyphenisms occur as discrete or continuous traits in insects. Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) exhibits polyphenic variation in flight distance but consequences of flight variation on subsequent semiochemical-mediated communication is unknown. This study assessed the effect of flight on pheromone production in male and female beetles, and orientation response to host volatiles and pheromones. A 23-h flight treatment was applied to beetles using computer-linked flight mills. In experiment 1, both flown and unflown (control) beetles entered lodgepole pine bolts, which were aerated to collect pheromone. In experiments 2 and 3, flown and unflown female beetles were assayed in a 4-way olfactometer to measure response to lodgepole pine and the aggregation pheromone trans-verbenol, respectively. Production of trans-verbenol by female beetles was influenced by both percent weight lost during flight and flight distance. Male production of exo-brevicomin was affected by beetle condition following flight but not by the energy used during flight. Flight treatment did not directly affect orientation to host volatiles, but the energy use during flight and the body condition of beetles after flight did. Beetles with higher lipid content that were in better condition following flight treatment spent less time near the phloem sources than beetles with low lipid content in poor condition. In contrast, orientation to aggregation pheromone was not influenced by flight treatment. These novel results give new insight into the effect of energy use through flight on semiochemical-mediated behaviours and the polyphenic flight of Dendroctonus ponderosae .