Density and location of simulated signs of injury affect efficacy of ground surveys for Asian longhorned beetle

Abstract

Surveys for signs of attack by Asian long-horned beetles, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), currently rely upon visual examination of trees to discover signs of attack. By embedding simulated A. glabripennis oviposition pits and exit holes on open-grown Norway maples, Acer platanoides L. (Aceraceae), we evaluated the effect of sign density, height (below or above 2.5m), and position (bole or branch) when foliage was present or absent on inspector ability to distinguish trees with or without signs. From this, we quantified detectability, or the proportion of trees correctly identified as infested, and determined the time taken to do so. Effectiveness in detecting trees with signs improved when sign density increased, when signs were below 2.5m, and when oviposition pits were located on boles and exit holes on branches. These main findings require some caveats, due to a number of significant interactions. Foliage presence/absence had no apparent influence on effectiveness; possible reasons are provided for this result. Time-to-find curves, which illustrated the proportion of inspectors who accurately identified an infested tree as a function of survey duration, revealed that for most treatment combinations, most infested trees were detected within the first 2 min of survey time. These findings provide baseline data to assist managers in designing effective protocols for ground surveys of A. glabripennis.

Host plants of Anoplophora glabripennis, a review

“…Hérard et al ., ; NPPO of the Netherlands, ). However, difficulties to detect infested trees before beetles have emerged can hamper eradication success (Anonymous, ; Turgeon et al ., ). Therefore, precautionary removal of host plants around visibly infested trees has been carried out on different occasions (e.g.…”

A safety rule approach to surveillance and eradication of biological invasions

“…The first population was discovered in 2003 in Toronto [ 61 ], and the second one in 2013 in Mississauga [ 62 ]. Discovery of each population led to the implementation of an eradication program [ 28 , 62 , 63 ]. The regulated (i.e., quarantine) area to manage the first 2003 infestation was declared pest-free in 2013 [ 44 ].…”

Plant health surveys for the EU territory: an analysis of data quality and methodologies and the resulting uncertainties for pest risk assessment (PERSEUS) CFP/EFSA/PLH/2010/01

“…The limit of detection for the proportion of host trees that are infested by the Asian longhorn beetle was examined using information from surveys undertaken in Europe and an assessment of the ability of inspectors to detect the presence of signs of presence reported by Turgeon et al (2010).…”

“…The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. Number of infested plants 1 2 5 10 20 50 100 50% 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 60% 4 5 6 6 7 8 9 70% 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 80% 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 90% 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 95% 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 99% 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 Data from Turgeon et al (2010) suggests that between approximately 40 and 90% of trees that have evidence of infestation (oviposition pits, emergence holes) will be detected during a ground survey.…”

“…A four-stage detection protocol has been employed in Strasbourg in 2011 and 2012, and in Huningue in 2012. This begins with two surveys one with climbers and one with binoculars which together may be expected (based on Turgeon et al (2010) and Italian reports) to detect approximately 90% of infected trees. Two subsequent inspections are applied to trees found to be positive in either of the first two inspections to remove false positives.…”