The relationship between Nemozoma elongatum (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) and its primary bark-beetle prey-species

15 S.

e-journal

200212424

Key message: Nemozoma elongatum (Linnaeus, 1761) shows a positive response to artificially produced lures targeting its two main prey species, Pityogenes chalcographus (Linnaeus, 1761) and Taphrorychus bicolor (Herbst, 1793), with a preference for P. chalcographus. We do not recommend using these lures in traps because they could unintentionally capture N. elongatum. However, these lures could potentially aid in controlling target pests by leveraging allochthonous kairomones to attract predators to areas with higher pest densities. Conclusion: N. elongatum is a prey opportunist that responds to bark beetle aggregation pheromones, as confirmed for several species. It is frequently caught in traps with Chalcoprax and bicolorin, the pheromone of T. bicolor. Although more commonly attracted to Chalcoprax, indicating a preference for P. chalcographus, N. elongatum may consume other species given its attraction to volatile compounds from host trees.