Determination of Flight Activities and Populations of Ambrosia Beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) In Hazelnut Orchards in Samsun, Türkiye

Abstract

Ambrosia beetles are highly invasive pests that cause thousands of hazelnut branches to dry out in hazelnut orchards each year. The manegement against these pests in hazelnut orchards, first of all, it is necessary to know the time of emergence of these pests during the year and the dates when their populations are concentrated. Between 2017-2019, studies were carried out in the Çarşamba and Terme districts of Samsun, which play an important role in hazelnut production in Türkiye. Populations of three invasive ambrosia beetle species (Anisandrus dispar, Xylosandrus germanus and Xyleborinus saxesenii) in hazelnut orchards were monitored using sticky traps for three years, from mid-March to mid-October. A. dispar, adults started to emerge in mid-March, their populations increased in April-May and started to decrease from mid-June. The emergence of X. germanus adults began in April, their populations peaked in late May and early June, and then the population began to decline. There was also a slight increase in their population in August. The emergence of X. saxesenii adults began in late March and a slight increase in their population was observed at the end of April. Populations of this species increased significantly in late June and early July, with a slight increase in populations in August. When these three ambrosia beetle species, which were caught in red sticky traps in hazelnut orchards for three years, were compared, the catch rates were determined as 56.28% for A. dispar, 24.20% for X. germanus and 19.52% for X. saxesenii, respectively. Thanks to this information obtained, it was determined when to start the combat against these pests in hazelnut orchards and when the management should be done most intensely.