Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), the red-necked longhorn beetle is native to eastern Asia, where it is an important wood-borer of fruit and ornamental species of the genus Prunus. A. bungii is a quarantine pest in the European Union, following its accidental introduction and establishment in Germany and Italy, and is currently included in the list of priority pests. To confirm its infestations in outbreak areas, adult or larval specimens are needed to perform morphological or molecular analyses. The presence of A. bungii larvae inside the attacked trees makes the collection of specimens particularly difficult. Thus, we present two diagnostic protocols based on frass analysis with real-time PCR (probe and SYBR Green). The results obtained show that a non-invasive approach for detecting the presence of this harmful invasive pest can be a reliable and accurate alternative diagnostic tool in phytosanitary surveys, as well as to outline a sustainable pest management strategy.

The cynipid Dryocosmus kuriphilus is the most impactful invasive pest of Castanea sativa copse woods and orchards currently reported from many European countries. A low impact solution for the containment of this pest could be the use of resistant trees. We examined the resistance of the red salernitan ecotype (RSE) of C. sativa to D. kuriphilus and carried out a morphological characterization of this ecotype's plants and fruits. From November 2015 to May 2017 we observed and recorded the percentage of infested buds, healthy leaves and shoots on about 50 chestnut trees, together with the number, size, and position of galls, and the number of eggs laid by the gall wasps into the buds and the number of larvae inside the galls. We showed a progressive mortality of cynipid larvae up to the starting point of galls development when almost total larval mortality was recorded. This suggests that RSE trees have a moderate resistance to D. kuriphilus; however, resistance acts at different levels, resulting in fewer eggs being deposited, a low number of larvae reaching the complete development, and a low number of galls on the branches. Moreover, the galls on resistant trees are smaller than the susceptible ones, so the larvae are more exposed to parasitization.

Background: It has been proved that chemical signals play an important role in mating location and reproductive behavior in cerambycids; moreover, they rely on contact chemoreception for mate recognition. Methods: Adult antennae of Aromia bungii were observed using scanning electron microscopy and adult antennal secretions were collected and analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results: Twelve different types of sensilla were morphologically described on the antennae of A. bungii. At least six mechanoreceptors—one gustative, one putative chemo- or thermoreceptor, and three multiporous olfactory receptors—are present on the antennae of both sexes while a receptor-type of unclear function is limited to males. Secretions associated with sensilla basiconica were observed for the first time in a cerambycid species. Conclusions: Sensilla basiconica should play a role in odor perception detecting host tree volatiles and/or pheromones. Sensilla basiconica type 1 and 2 produce a viscous material accumulating on the antennal surface. Chemical analysis of adult antennal secretions highlighted marked differences between sexes. Some of the identified compounds have been previously reported as contact pheromone components of other cerambycid species. Our observations strongly suggest sensilla basiconica as the production sites of compounds involved in mate recognition.

Megaplatypus mutatus (Chapuis) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae) is an ambrosia beetle native to South America, but it has recently been introduced into Italy and represents a serious problem in commercial poplar and fruit tree plantations. Male M. mutatus emit a sex pheromone composed of (+)‐6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐ol [(+)‐sulcatol], 6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐one (sulcatone), and 3‐pentanol. We performed three field trials of mating disruption of M. mutatus in hazelnut and poplar plantations in Argentina and Italy. To perform these tests, we made plastic pheromone reservoir‐type dispensers for sulcatol, sulcatone, and 3‐pentanol with zero‐order kinetics that were deployed in the field during the female flight period. The number of galleries where mating took place was significantly higher in control than in treated areas, indicating that pheromone application had interfered with female behavior and male localization. Because damage reduction was >56% in both countries, these results demonstrate the potential for the strategy of pheromone‐mediated mating disruption of M. mutatus in commercial poplar and hazelnut plantations. Also, our study provides the first evidence for successful pheromone‐mediated mating disruption in a forest beetle.

Background: The red-necked longhorn beetle, Aromia bungii, is one of the most damaging pests of stone fruit trees. Native to the south-eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions, it invaded and is established to some extent in the Campania Region (Southern Italy). In several cerambycid species, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been shown to play a role in mate and host plant location. Methods: The electroantennographic (EAG) technique was employed to explore the antennal chemoreceptivity of male and female A. bungii antennae to 90 VOCs. Results: Increasing EAG amplitudes from the basal to the distal antennal segments were recorded in response to six selected plant volatiles. From the distal flagellomeres, the largest EAG responses (>0.8 mV) were elicited by 2-hexanol, octanal, sulcatone, guaiacol, sulcatol, 2,4-dimethyl-3-hexanol, 2,4-dimethyl-2-hexanone, heptanal, nonanal, (Z)-3-hexenol, and 1-heptanol in both sexes, and by linalool, (E)-2-heptenal, 1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-octenal, 3-octanol, (E)-2-octen-1-ol, α-phellandrene, and α-terpinene in males. The olfactory system of both sexes proved to be sensitive to changes in stimulus concentration and compound structure. Conclusions: this study demonstrates the capability of A. bungii males and females to detect and discriminate among a wide range of VOCs and provides a basis for further olfactometer and field trapping experiments aimed at identifying behaviorally-active compounds useful for the implementation of semiochemical-based control strategies for this pest.