Laurence Beaudoin-Ollivier

Activity of male pheromone of Melanesian rhinoceros beetle Scapanes australis

Laboratory and field investigations were carried out to investigate the nature and role of the male pheromone emitted by the Dynast beetle Scapanes australis and to develop a mass trapping technique against this major coconut pest in Papua New Guinea. We report the biological data obtained from natural and synthetic pheromone, previously described as an 84:12:4 (w/w) mixture of 2-butanol (1), 3-hydoxy-2-butanone (2), and 2,3-butanediol (3). EAG recordings from natural and synthetic pheromone and a pitfall olfactometer were poorly informative. In contrast, extensive field trapping trials with various synthetic pheromone mixtures and doses showed that 1 and 2 (formulated in polyethylene sachets in 90:5 v:v ratio) were necessary and sufficient for optimum long-range attraction. Beetles were captured in traps baited with racemic 1 plus 2, with or without a stereoisomer mixture of 3 (2.5- to 2500-mg/day doses). Plant pieces, either sugarcane or coconut, enhanced captures by the synthetic pheromone, which was active alone. Traps with the pheromone caught both sexes in a 3:2 female–male ratio. A pheromone-based mass trapping led to the capture of 2173 beetles in 14 traps surrounding 40 ha of a cocoa-coconut plantation. The captures followed a log-linear decrease during the 125-week trapping program. The role of the male pheromone and its potential for crop protection are discussed.

New aspects of the biology of the Melanesian rhinoceros beetle Scapanes australis (Col., Dynastidae) and evidence for field attraction to males.

Scapanes australis is a major coconut pest, endemic in Papua New Guinea. Early in the night, males placed singly into artificial galleries made in young coconut palms exhibited a sex specific calling behaviour for 1 to 1.5 h. Coming to the gallery entrance, they raised the abdomen and the hind legs, the head lowered inside the gallery, and emitted a liquid secretion, rhytmically smeared by crossing the legs. Females which did not behave so, were very mobile. The adult flying period coincided with the male calling behaviour. In field assays with caged insects on coconut palms, attraction of both sexes to males was evidenced when they were calling. Males fought for gallery possession at a male arrival. No aggression but mating was observed with arriving females, which proved not to have developed oocytes. The strong male attractionwas confirmed using automatic traps, baited with one lived male in a sugarcane piece. Male were assumed to release an aggregation pheromone. Further studies are underway to identify the putative pheromone.

Simplified Field Key to Identify Larvae of Some Rhinoceros Beetles and Associated Scarabs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in Papua New Guinea Coconut Developments

Abstract In Papua New Guinea, Coleoptera associated with coconuts share or have similar larval breeding sites, which has led to some confusion with their identity. Conclusive identification of these larvae is important before deciding whether it is possible to use biological control measures against them. The available keys are complex and do not take into account simple observable characters that can be used in the field with live specimens. Specimens of the following species were examined: Xylotrupes gideon (L.), Trichogomphus vicinus Dechambre, Oryctoderus latitarsis Boisduval, Oryctes centaurus Sternberg, Oryctes rhinoceros (L.), Scapanes australis Boisduval (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae), Dermolepida sp. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae), Cetoniinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) and Lucanidae (Coleoptera Scarabaeoidea). A simple key to distinguish 2 important pest species, O. rhinoceros and S. australis, from allied Coleoptera directly in the field is presented, together with drawings and photographs to illustrate distinctive features to assist in using the key. The identifications presented in the paper were checked against existing taxonomic keys.