Identification, synthesis and activity of sex pheromonegland components of the autumn gum moth (Lepidoptera:Geometridae), a defoliator of Eucalyptus

Summary.: The autumn gum moth, Mnesampela privata (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), is native to Australia and can be a pest of plantation eucalypts. Field-collected and laboratory-reared female autumn gum moths were dissected to remove glands likely to contain components of the sex pheromone. Using gas chromatography (GC) and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), three compounds were identified from female extracts, namely (3Z,6 Z,9 Z)-3,6,9-nonadecatriene, 1-hexadecanol and 1-octadecanol (confirmed by comparison with synthetic samples). Nonadecatriene elicited an antennal response in male autumn gum moth during gas chromatographic analyses combined with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD). In electroantennogram (EAG) recording male M. privata antennae responded to the nonadecatriene. Nonadecatriene was synthesised via Kolbe electrolysis, starting with (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic acid (linolenic acid) and propanoic acid or via an alternative four-step method also starting from linolenic acid. In field trials (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-nonadecatriene proved attractive to male moths. Thus, we conclude that (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9- nonadecatriene is a sex pheromone component of autumn gum moth. This component has been identified in extracts from other geometrids in the same subfamily, Ennominae. However, to our knowledge this is the first example where (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-nonadecatriene has been found in females and also proved attractive to male moths when presented on its own. Our results are discussed in relation to other geometrid pheromone

Behaviour of Pine Sawflies in Relation to Pheromone-Based Pest Management

Pine sawflies (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) are severe pine defoliators. This thesis investigated sawfly behaviour related to the use of pheromones in integrated pest management, including monitoring with pheromone traps and mating disruption. Neodiprion sertiferr females were placed on pine twigs in the field and 11–30 % of the females that remained on their twig after the first mating re-mated. Only 0–2.5 % of the females in a pheromone-treated area mated, whereas 30 % of them mated in the control area. Significantly more females dispersed from the treated area compared with the control. N. sertifer males were studied downwind from pheromone traps and responded to synthetic pheromone from 200 m. They increased their grooming frequency and took off faster than in pheromone-free controls. Sampling range of pheromone traps for N. sertifer was determined, using two different approaches to 400 m and 670 m after 24 hr. The males lived on average 12 days in the field, and the seasonal sampling range was determined to 1040 m. The effective sampling area, that area from which all males originate if the trap catches everything within this area and nothing outside of it, was determined to 4.9 ha. This corresponds to a circular area with a radius of 125 m. Two new concepts describing the origin of insects caught in an attractive trap were defined: cumulative proportional catch (CPC) and catch concentration (CC). CC was obtained by dividing the radius of the effective area with the seasonal sampling range, and thus CC=125/1040 m = 0.12. By using CPC it was estimated that 50 % of the catch originated beyond 450 m from the trap, and the trap is better at reflecting the density of pine sawflies over a larger area (>5 ha) than in smaller stands. During days with no precipitation, wind speed is an important climatic factor for N. sertifer males flying to a pheromone trap

Att använda eller inte använda läroboken– Åsikter hos gymnasielärare i naturkunskap och biologi till läroböcker och deras användning av läroböcker i undervisningen

För att utröna vad gymnasielärare i biologi och naturkunskap tycker om sina läroböcker, samt hur de används i undervisningen utfördes intervjuer med lärare. Lärarna arbetade på två olika skolor, en med yrkesinriktade program och en med teoretiska program. Syftet var att utreda hur de använder sig av läroboken i undervisningen och vad de tycker är viktigt att lära ut. Hälften av lärarna var positiva till de läroböcker som används i undervisningen. De som var negativa till läroböcker ansåg att de var alltför grunda och att de saknar förklaringar av naturvetenskapliga processer och skeenden. Andra lärare sade att böckerna var alltför urvattnade och att de inte utgör någon bra källa för fakta och kunskap. De flesta lärare använde sig av läroboken för planering av ett moment och/eller lektionsunderlag. De lärare som hade boken enbart som bredvidläsning för eleverna, utgick i sin planering bl.a. ifrån sådant som de själva hade upplevt som svårt när de själva studerade. Majoriteten av lärarna ville lära ut en djupare förståelse av naturvetenskapen, så att eleverna skall kunna se samband och förstå processer inom naturvetenskapen. För att nå denna kunskap hos eleverna var det ofta som lärarna hoppade över vissa moment. Några lärare ville lära ut naturvetenskapens grunder, så att eleverna skulle bli allmänbildade

On the origin of pine sawflies caught in pheromone traps

This study investigated behaviour of male European pine sawflies, Neodiprion sertifer Geoffr. (Hym., Diprionidae), that were released downwind from pheromone traps. Releases were done at three distances; either at 5 m from one trap, or at 50 m or 200 m from five traps, placed in a line perpendicular to the current wind direction. As a control, males were released identically but without any pheromone source present. The behaviour of the males prior to take-off was studied on a release platform. The following different types of behaviour were recorded: grooming, wing fanning, orientating and take-off. The frequency of grooming was significantly higher in the pheromone treatments compared to the control, whereas the frequency of wing fanning and orientating increased, although not significantly. The direction in which the males displayed the various types of behaviour was more concentrated towards the wind when pheromone was present than during the control experiment. By colour marking of Ecology, Lund University, d travel speed could be calculated. The minimum recorded time from take-off to landing was 1 min, 6 min and 45 min for the 5 m, 50 m and 200 m experiments, respectively. The stimulation and attraction range of the trap was at least 200 m, and the sampling range after 24 hr was calculated to approximately 400 m (c.i. 140–1600 m)

From where are insects recruited? A new model to interpret catches of attractive traps

1 Two new concepts describing the origin of insects caught ill an attractive trap are presented. 2 Male European pine sawflies Neodiprion sertifer Geoffroy (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) were marked and released from 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 m in the four cardinal directions around a centrally placed pheromone trap. 3 Based on linear regression of transformed data, we calculated the seasonal sampling range (r(s)) as 1040 m. 4 We estimated the previously defined 'effective sampling area' (alpha) at 4.9 ha, assuming that the insects are evenly distributed around the trap and that they are attracted from a circular area around it. This is the area from which all insects originate if the trap is 100% effective within the area but captures nothing outside of it. The effective sampling area reveals nothing about the origin of the insects caught. We defined the Cumulative Proportional Catch (CPC) that gives the proportion of the trap catch that originates from an area within a distance r from the trap. At r = r(s) CPC = 1, and in our study 50% of the captured insects originated up to 450 m from the trap. Thus, for the trap used in this study, a relatively large proportion of the catch originates some distance from the trap. 5 We also defined the Catch Concentration (CC), which is the ratio of the radius of the effective sampling area (r(alpha)) to r(s). For our data, CC = 0.12, which is intermediate to high compared to the few other studies that we have extracted information from. If r(alpha) is considerably lower than r(s), then only a small proportion of the insects caught originate from close proximity to the trap. When r(alpha) is close to r(s), the catch adequately mirrors the population within most of its sampling range. 6 By using these two new concepts, we will better understand why monitoring traps mirror the local population in some cases but not in others. This will help in designing more reliable monitoring programmes

Mating duration and frequency in a pine sawfly

Newly emerged females of the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer Geoffroy (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), were placed on pine twigs in the field and their behavior was recorded. Twenty to 25% of the females attracted wild males and mated on the day of release. One-third to one-half of these females remained and oviposited, while the rest disappeared from their twigs after mating. The mating frequency peaked at noon, and on average the mating lasted for 19 +/- 13 (SD) min. Eleven to 30% of the females that remained on their twigs after mating remated, occasionally up to five times. Most released females disappeared from their twigs on the first day. Disappearances included both predation and dispersal. Only a few dispersals >5 m were recorded, because the sawflies were difficult to follow during fight. By color marking, dispersal up to 20 m was recorded

Inventering av insekter i Benestads backar och Hagestad naturreservat

The two nature reserves Benestads backar and Hagestad in Scania, southernmost Sweden, were surveyed for insect diversity during 2011 and 2012. Because current management plans for both reserves include a size expansion to increase the protective status also of adjacent areas, the aim of this survey was to derive a measure of current insect diversity in both reserves. These estimates can then be used for comparison in subsequent surveys to estimate how practical conservation efforts are translated into changes in biodiversity. For each reserve we identified a number of insect groups, the diversity of which would best describe the overall quality and current conservation status of each area. For Benestads backar, we surveyed three diptera families; soldier flies, marsh flies and hover flies. Diptera families surveyed in Hagestad were robber flies, hover flies and tachinid flies. In both reserves, we also surveyed all occurring families of Coleoptera and Hemiptera. In addition, for both reserves we surveyed solitary bees caught in bowl traps and a few other aculeata taxa. Practical surveying methods included manual searches and sweep netting, in combination with passive collection using color bowls and pitfall traps. In Benestads backar, we found 432 insect species in all focal groups combined, of which 20 are included on the national IUCN red list. One species, the marsh fly Psacadina vittigera was recorded for the first time from the Nordic countries and two species, the straight-snouted weevil Apion cineraceum and the sphecid wasp Mimumesa beaumonti were recorded for the first time from the province of Scania. The survey of the larger Hagestad revealed 630 species from the focal groups, of which 18 are included on the national red list. Benestads backar contains both thermophilic species that occur exclusively on dry meadows with calcareous soils, and species bound to wet or damp habitats with or without calcareous substrates. The large number of monophagous plant-associated insects in the Benestads backar reserve is also noteworthy. The Hagestad reserve contains areas of utmost insect conservation concern, such as warm, sheltered sand dunes dominated by large areas of exposed sand, dry sandy soils and pristine heathlands. In addition, the Hagestad reserve includes a large grazed area on dry and sandy soils, with an adjacent marsh area with high plant diversity and a correspondingly high diversity of rare species or species that are of conservation concern for other reasons. This report describes insect life and diversity in both reserves with comments on red listed, or otherwise interesting or rare, species, identifies areas of particular conservation concern in the reserves and gives general recommendations for the management of these areas. [100 pp., In Swedish

Behaviour of male pine sawflies, Neodiprion sertifer , released downwind from pheromone sources

This study investigated the behaviour of male European pine sawflies, Neodiprion sertifer Geoffroy (Hym., Diprionidae), that were released and observed downwind from pheromone traps baited with 100 mu g of the sex pheromone, (2S,3S,7S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-pentadecyl acetate. Releases were done at three distances; either at 5 m from one trap, or at 50 or 200 m from five traps, placed in a line perpendicular to the current wind direction. As control, males were released identically but without any pheromone source present. The behaviour of the males prior to take-off was studied. A total of 1729 males were released, and 80% of them took flight. Males took off significantly faster in the presence of pheromone. Grooming was significantly more frequent in presence of pheromone compared with control. In all pheromone experiments significantly more males displayed grooming, wing fanning and take-off towards the wind compared with the control. Weather data was simultaneously collected at the study site. Wing fanning was negatively correlated with wind speed. Grooming was not influenced by wind speed. Reduced levels of incoming short-wave radiation lowered the take-off frequency significantly. Pheromone-induced behaviour in diprionids seems to be less distinct than in other insects, e.g., Lepidoptera

Uptake of N-15-labelled alanine, ammonium and nitrate in Pinus sylvestris L. Ectomycorrhiza growing in forest soil treated with nitrogen, sulphur or lime

The uptake of N-15-labelled alanine, ammonium and nitrate was studied in ectomycorrhizal morphotypes of intact Pinus sylvestris seedlings. PCR-RFLP analysis of the ITS-region of fungal rDNA was used to identify the morphotypes. Seedlings were grown in forest soil collected at an experimental site in southern Sweden. The treatments compared were a control, N fertilisation (600 kg N ha(-1) as urea), sulfur application (1200 kg S ha(-1)) and lime application (6000 kg CaCO3 ha(-1)). The forest, which had been dominated by Picea abies, was clear-cut two years before the forest soil was sampled. Soil was also collected from an adjacent standing forest. The aim of the present study was to detect changes in the ectomycorrhizal communities in forest soils and relate these changes to the functional parameter of uptake of nitrogen from organic (alanine and protein) and inorganic (ammonium and nitrate) sources. Liming resulted in the detection of a morphotype not found in other samples, and one morphotype was only found in samples from the standing forest (the fungi in these two morphotypes could not be identified). All mycorrhizal root tips showed a higher N-15 concentration after exposure to different nitrogen forms than non-mycorrhizal long roots. Uptake of N-15 from a labelled solution of alanine or ammonium was higher (about tenfold) than uptake from a N-15-labelled solution of nitrate. Uptake of ammonium and alanine varied between 0.2 and 0.5 mg N g(-1) h(-1) and between 0.1 and 0.33 mg N g(-1) h(-1), respectively, among the different morphotypes. In seedlings grown in the control soil and in soil from standing forest, alanine and ammonium were taken up to a similar degree from a supply solution by all morphotypes, whereas ammonium uptake was higher than alanine uptake in seedlings grown in lime-treated soil (about twofold) and. to a lesser extent, in the nitrogen-and sulfur-treated soils. The higher ammonium uptake by morphotypes from the limed soil was confirmed in pure culture studies. In cases where ammonium was used as the N source, an isolate of the S. variegatus morphotype collected in the limed soil produced more biomass compared with isolates of S. variegatus collected in nitrogen or sulphur-treated soil. One isolate of a silvery white morphotype produced about equal amounts of biomass on alanine and ammonium, whereas all S. variegatus isolated performed better with ammonium as their N source. Based on the results it is hypothesised that liming can induce a shift in the ectomycorrhizal community, favouring individuals that mainly utilise inorganic nitrogen over those that primarily utilise organic nitroge

Effect of mating disruption on reproductive behavior in the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Hymenoptera : Diprionidae)

Females of the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffr) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), were released and observed inside and outside (=control) of areas treated with their sex pheromone for the purpose of mating disruption. In 1992 and 1993, respectively, 0 and 2.5% of the females were observed mating in the pheromone treated area during the first day compared with 28 and 26% in the control area. Of the females that mated, approximately 50% stayed on their twigs and oviposited, while the remaining 50% disappeared Significantly more females disappeared from their twigs inside the treated area compared to the control area in both years. No difference was found in the proportion of unmated females ovipositing (2-12%) between the treated and the control area. Predation was responsible for much of the disappearance, but deliberate dispersal was also noted. Mating and dispersal in female N. sertifer are discussed in relation to population density and overall fitness