The Japanese pine sawyer (JPS), Monochamus alternatus Hope, is an important vector of the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer), which causes pine wilt disease. JPS selects a characteristic life cycle of a four- or five-instar pathway, which indicates the number of instars before pupation. In this study, we investigated the potential presence of a three-instar pathway and sought to determine the minimum larval age required for JPS to construct a pupal chamber. The results showed that no third instars made pupal chambers, suggesting that there is no three-instar pathway. The initiation time of digging the tunnel to make the pupal chamber ranged widely from Julian date 274 (30 September) to 332 (27 November). This timing became an average age stage of 4.8 instar, which equals an 80% completion of the fourth instar. Thus, the minimum larval age at which JPS constructs the tunnel to pupate the next year is estimated to be late in the fourth larval instar. Further, we discuss the diapause ecology in relation to the larval development of JPS in different thermal environments. Tentatively, we suggest that the regulation of diapause induction in JPS involves a dual process of reaching a critical developmental stage and stimulus (tentatively a cold temperature). This hypothesis will be helpful for future studies of diapause mechanisms and the selection of the instar-pathway in JPS and related species.

Japanese pine sawyer, Monochamus alternatus, is the main pest that mediates pine wilt nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, that causes serious damage to pine forests. In this study, we studied the strategy to control M. alternatus using entomopathogenic fungi. The fungi were collected from soil by an insect-baiting method and two fungal isolates (Metarhizium anisopliae JEF-197 and JEF-279) showed high virulence against M. alternatus. The Metarhizium isolates were evaluated for insecticidal activity against M. alternatus by spray treatment on live pine trees and wintering trees, and the M. anisopliae JEF-197 showed high insecticidal activity. In addition, the interaction of fungi and M. alternatus were analyzed by RNA-seq. This result can contribute to the development of insect control agents using entomopathogenic fungi.

소나무재선충병의 나무주사는 살선충제를 중심으로 실시되어 왔으며, 매개충인 솔수염하늘소와 북방수염하늘소의 방제는 주로 항공방제나 지상방제를 통하여 이루어졌다. 본 연구에서는 나무주사를 통하여 매개충 (솔수염하늘소)을 방제하기 위한 연구로 Abamectin+Acetamiprid ME, Thiamethoxam DC 약제의 나무주사시 솔수염하늘소의 약효발현농도, 처리 후 기간별 효과(2017년~2018년)를 검토하였다. 실내 발현농도 시험에서는 Acetamiprid, Thiamethoxam LC50 value는 각각 0.102ppm, 0.083ppm 으로 나타 났으며, 야산(포장)에서 Abamectin+Acetamiprid ME, Thiamethoxam DC 처리구의 100.0% 치사 소요일 수는 처리 90일 후 11.0일, 9.4일, 처리 360일 후 11.6일, 10.0일로 나타나서 두 약제 모두 3월 처리시 다음해에 발생하는 매개충 (솔수염하늘소) 방제까지 가능함을 확인 할 수 있었다.

Monochamus saltuarius Gebler (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a well-known as vector species of the pine wood nematode (PWN) in the northern areas of South Korea. In 2017, larval parasitoids of M. saltuarius and their parasitism patterns were investigated in Pinus koraiensis forests with consideration of sentinel logs positions (height: 0 m vs. 1.8 m), distances from the edge to the center of the forest (0, 20, 40, 60, 80m), and damage degrees of the pine wilt disease (infested area, buffer area, and uninfested area). In total six of larval parasitoids were collected: Spathius verustus, Sclerodermus harmandi, Cynopterus flavator, Heydenia testacea, Heydenia sp., Braconidae sp. The parasitism rate to larvae of M. saltuarius larvae was not affected by sentinel log positions. However, the parasitism rate was significantly higher in infested areas compared to the buffer and uninfested areas. In the infested area, the parasitism rate was increased with distance from forest edges.

The entomopathogneic fungal colonization has become an interesting issue in ecological pest management. Plant-orientedfungi induce plant growth promotion and act as natural control agents against insect pest. Herein this work, we evaluatedthe ability of fungal colonization on bark, branches and leaves of pine tree (Pinus densiflora) to select optimal candidatesfor controlling Japanese pine sawyer (Monochamus alternatus), which is the pine wilt disease vector in Korea. As a result,some Beauveria and Metarhizium isolates could colonize on the substrates of P. densiflora and showed pathogenicity againstM. alternatus. This result suggests that the selected entomopathogenic fungi are possibly candidates for long-term managementof M. alternatus in pine tree forest.

Japanese pine sawyer, Monochamus alternatus HOPE (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are considered as important pine forestinsect pests in several countries which transmits the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophylus. In this study, wetried to control Japanese pine sawyer using entomopathogenic fungi to prevent the spread of pine wilt disease in Korea.Several entomopathogenic fungi were exposed to the adults of Japanese pine sawyer and mycosis was observed in themembranous cuticles after 6 days. In particular, two isolates showed high virulence against the adults. The selected 2isolates were sprayed to the adults at 1×105, 1×106 and 1×107 conidia/ml. In the concentration of 1×107 conidia/ml, thesurvival rates of insects were 40% and 47%, respectively. Based on these results, the possibility of controlling the Japanesepine sawyer was confirmed.

The adult activity of M. alternatus caught in a pheromone trap showed a bimodal form consisted of the first peak in mid to late June and the second peak in mid to late September in Jeju area, Korea. The two peaks were separated apparently between mid and late August, showing a valley. The pine trees without oleoresin flow were abundant during early July to early August, and declined thereafter, which did not match with the valley of adult activity curve. Thus, the hypothesis that dying pine trees attract much strongly M. alternatus adults than that of pheromone lures may not fully explain the bimodal pattern, because the first adult activity peak occurred during the peak period of dying pine trees and it declined with decreasing dying pine trees. The accumulated degree-days showed that the emergence of the 2nd generation adults could occur before the second peak when the diapause ecology of M. alternatus was not considered. The voltinism of M. alternatus can affect basically the control strategy of this pest. Consequently, further studies are required to find out clearly the voltinism of M. alternatus in Korea.

Thermal death kinetics of the Japanese pine sawyer, Monochamus alternatus, was investigated to develop a heat treatment method that controls the pest in wood packing materials used in the export of goods. To determine the feasibility of microwave irradiation as an alternative treatment, laboratory experiments were performed on blocks (200x200x250 mm) of Douglas fir artificially infested with live larvae and pupae irradiating the blocks with 2.45 GHz of microwave energy. One hundred percent mortality of larvae and pupae of Japanese pine sawyer was observed by hot water treatment at 64°C and 68°C, respectively. One hundred percent mortality of treated Japanese pine sawyer was achieved above 67°C for larvae and 70°C for pupae based on the measured wood temperature, regardless of the irradiation time.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of the pine sawyer (Monochamus saltuarius), Japanese pine sawyer (M. alternatus) and oak longicorn beetle (Moechotypa diphysis) were analyzed by GC, GC-MS and compared. Monochamus beetles are typical vectors of pine wilt disease but Moechotypa diphysis, which belongs to the same family, is not. They possess different CHCs in carbon number: 23-25 in M. saltuarius, 25-32 in M. alternatus, and 23-29 in M. diphysis. In comparison to inter-species, these three species of adult beetles have different numbers and chains of constituents of CHCs. In comparison between male and female in intra-species, the quantities of CHCs show the difference but constituents are not. Major constituent of M. saltuarius were analyzed as n-pentacosane ＞ n-nonacosane ＞ n-heptacosane, those of M. alternatus were n-nonacosene ＞ n-pentacosane ＞ n-nonacosane, and those of M. diphysis were n-heptacosane ＞ 13-methylheptacosane ＞ 3-methylheptacosane. From the body surface, most saturated carbohydrates of 3 species beetles are composed of n-alkane (40.2 - 65.7%) and followed by olefines ＞ monomethylalkanes that one or two double bonds in M. saltuarius and M. alternatus. Otherwise, M. diphysis have the difference in order of monomethylalkanes > olefins.

2001년부터 2002년까지 소나무재선충의 매개체인 솔수염하늘소 성충의 생체중과 체장, 체폭, 두폭, 더듬이의 길이 및 색깔 등을 조사하였다. 소나무재선충에 감염되어 고사된 소나무를 일정한 길이로 잘라 우화망실 안에 두고 우화하는 솔수염하늘소 성충을 채집하여 조사하였다. 분산분석결과 생체중, 체장, 체폭의 측정치는 암컷이 수컷보다 높았고, 두폭은 암수간에 차이가 없었으며, 촉각의 길이는 수컷이 더 길었다. 암컷(n=563)과 수컷(n=601)의 평균 생체중은 각각 0.305g과 0.277g, 체장은 20.97mm와 19.93mm 체폭은 6.52mm 와 6.18mm, 두폭은 3.78 mm와 3.70mm, 촉각의 길이는 31.19mm와 45.49mm이었다. 촉각의 길이나 체장과 촉각 길이의 비율은 암수간에 중복되는 범위가 많아서 이것을 기준으로 암수를 구분할 수는 없었다. 그러나 성충(n=4,033) 촉각의 털 색깔을 조사한 결과, 예외 없이 암컷 촉각의 모든 편절 마디의 기부쪽 절반 정도가 회백색의 미모로 덮여 있으나, 수컷 촉각의 편절 마디는 전체적으로 흑갈색의 미모로 덮여 있었기 때문에, 이 특징으로 암수를 쉽게 구분할 수 있었다.