TITLE:
Life History and Biology of the Elm Bark Beetle Scolytus kashmirensis Schedl (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Infesting Ulmus villosa in Kashmir
AUTHORS:
Abdul Lateef Khanday, Abdul A. Buhroo
KEYWORDS:
Biology, Morphology, Scolytus kashmirensis, Ulmus villosa, Gallery Pattern
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.5 No.4,
April
17,
2015
ABSTRACT: Elm bark
beetle Scolytus kashmirensis is a key
pest of elm nurseries in the social forestry ecosystem of Kashmir. The
biological and morphological characters of this species were determined both in
field and in the laboratory. The larvae remained inactive throughout the winter
which resumed their activity from the third week of March. Pupation started
from the first week of April and the first swarming adults appeared from the
last week of April. After emergence, the adults fly to suitable trees and
undergo maturation feeding for 8.4 (±0.68 SD) days and females laid 46 (±9.45
SD) eggs on an average. The eggs hatched after an incubation period of 11 - 13
days. The five larval instars were distinguished from each other on the basis
of the width of head capsule measurements. The larvae completed their
development in 40 - 46 days. The pupal stage lasted for 10 - 20 days and
finally adults emerge that lived for 45 - 60 days. The single longitudinal
maternal gallery measured 42.67 (±11.07 SD) mm (on average) long and the larval
gallery was 43 (±10.96 SD) mm (on average) in length. The seasonal distribution
of various life stages and the number of generations were also recorded.