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Virginia Tech

Development and evaluation of trapping studies for Hylobius pales (Herbst) and Pissodes nemorensis Germar (Coleoptera: curculionidae) in Virginia Christmas tree plantations

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The pales weevil, Hylobius pales (Herbst), and the deodar weevil, Piss odes nemorensis Germar, are regeneration pests of pine plantations in the eastern United States. Attempts to sample regeneration weevils in Virginia have met with little success. Two trap types were field tested to determine their effectiveness in sampling H. pales and P. nemorensis populations in Virginia Christmas tree plantations. Labor intensive pit traps, using natural host materials and synthetic volatiles, caught significantly more weevils than PVC pitfall traps baited with synthetic volatiles alone. No differences in trap catches were observed between stationary and rotated traps. Vegetation management had no effect on trap catch. However, it was observed that newly planted white pine seedlings (Pinus strobus L.) were fed upon by H. pales at Significantly higher rates in plots not managed for competing vegetation than in herbicide treated plots. Feeding activity in mowed plots was intermediate. Trap catch did not correlate with seedling damage within or among sampling periods, or between years. The seasonal activity of both species is reviewed in detail. Mark-and-recapture techniques used to assess trap efficacy showed traps baited with pine material were most effective, irrespective of trap type. The response of H. pales adults to different ethanol-and-turpentine ratios in a laboratory bioassay did not vary with respect to gender or age. No gender differences in response to treatments were observed in these studies.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Entomology
Department dc:contributor.department
Entomology
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1996

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Fettig, Christopher John
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Salom, Scott M.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Gray, Jodi A.
  • Johnson, James E.
  • Youngman, Roger R.

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-02132009-171844
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/41060

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Fettig, Christopher John. Development and evaluation of trapping studies for Hylobius pales (Herbst) and Pissodes nemorensis Germar (Coleoptera: curculionidae) in Virginia Christmas tree plantations. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/41060