Biological Characteristics And Mating Behavior Of Monochamus Alternatus Hope

Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), mainly infesting at larvae stages, feeds into the phloem and xylem of stressed host or pine bolt newly cut down, usually resulting in the death of large numbers of pine trees and reducing the quality of wood products. Meanwhile, M. alternatus is the primary vector of the key plant quarantine species, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The occurrence of B. xylophilus was first reported at Zhongshan cemetery of Nanjing in 1982. Up to now, it has proliferated about 8.7 hm~2 in China and caused the death of over 35 million trees, bringing about huge losses of woods resources, natural landscape and ecological environment. The invasion of exotic species is not only a process of altering native ecosystem but also one of adjustment and adaptation. After the exotic species settled down, local species would influence the exotic species in some ways. There are most adaptability between the native vector M. alternatus and the invasion species B. xylophilus in respects of their life history, host and feeding habit, and so on, all of which fastened the epidemic and spread of this disease.B. xylophilus was first discovered at the band of Fuling and Changshou, Chongqing in 2001 and it has spread rapidly to about 1,229 hm~2 in Chongqing. Studies on the biology and ecology of M. alternatus are essential for the control of M. alternatus and the epidemic and spread of B. xylophilus. M. alternatus belonged to SH species summarized by Hanks. Because the quality of food resources for larvae was unpredictable and impermanent, the mating behavior presented strongly male competition, such as fighting against competitor, post copulatory guarding. Therefore, the investigation on the mating behavior of M. alternatus is the foundation of the control over this pest and the epidemic of B. xylophilus, and meanwhile, it is also instructive for probing into the evolution of reproductive adaptability.1 Occurrence of B. xylophilus in Chongqing 1.1 Distribution of B. xylophilus in ChongqingB. xylophilus occurred in Wanzhou, Zhongxian, Changshou, Fuling, Yubei, Jiangbei, Banan and...