Wild Bee Response to Application of the Douglas-fir Beetle Anti-Aggregation Pheromone, 3-Methylcyclohex-2-En-1-One

Abstract

Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins (DFB), is the most damaging insect pest of Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, in western North America. Individual high-value trees and stands can be protected during DFB outbreaks using the beetle's anti-aggregation pheromone, 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (MCH), which is available in several commercial formulations. However, other methylcyclohexanones similar in molecular structure to MCH have been shown to repel bees from agricultural areas. In forest systems, wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) provide essential pollination services to many forb and shrub species. Therefore, it is important to determine whether resident wild bee communities are affected in forests treated with MCH. To address this, the bee community was sampled within experimental sites located in Idaho and Montana, USA in 2016. At both sites, there was no significant difference in overall bee abundance, species richness, or diversity between MCH-treated plots and untreated control plots. Overall, these results indicate that treatment of Douglas-fir with MCH does not negatively impact the resident wild bee community.

Keywords: 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one; Dendroctonus pseudotsugae; bee conservation; forest health; forest pollinators.