Susceptibility of Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motchulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to entomopathogenic nematodes

Isolates of Steinernema feltiae SN from France, Steinernema glaseri NJ from New Jersey, Steinernema riobrave TX from Texas, Steinernema carpocapsae Sal from Indiana, S. carpocapsae All from Georgia, and Heterorhabditis marelata IN from Indiana were screened for efficacy against laboratory colonies of Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora, glabripennis collected from Queens, New York and Chicago, Illinois. Two bioassays were used to screen nematode effects on beetle larvae; a filter paper assay using a 24-h exposure of nematode-to-target-insect, and a diet cup bioassay using a 72-h exposure of host larvae to infective juveniles applied to the larval bore hole made in the artificial diet in the cups. First- and third-stage larvae were susceptible to all isolates using a filter paper bioassay. S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae Sal were the most effective, causing 100% mortality. S. feltiae was more infectious than S. carpocapsae Sal against third, sixth, and seventh instars. S. riobrave, S. glaseri, and H. marelata were ineffective against the older instars. In the diet cup bioassay, S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae Sal killed 71–100% of mid-to late instar larvae, but the remaining isolates screened were ineffective. Nematode preconditioning to aqueous A. glabripennis frass extracts inhibited S. carpocapsae Sal infectivity but had no effect on nematode pathogenicity. S. feltiae juveniles were positively attracted to A. glabripennis frass extracts. Our results demonstrate the potential use of S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae isolates as control agents for A. glabripennis. Published by Elsevier Inc.