Developing an improved lure for attracting the pine sawyer beetle (Monochamus galloprovincialis) with reduced bycatch of predatory beetles

The pine sawyer beetle (Monochamus galloprovincialis) is a European vector of the invasive pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), one of the most dangerous threats to pine forests worldwide. One recommended method for detecting the nematode is catching and inspecting the M. galloprovincialis beetles. Effective commercial lures are available for that insect but attract non‐target species, particularly beneficial Thanasimus species. Our study aimed to develop an equally effective M. galloprovincialis lure less attractive to beneficial predatory insects. We used electroantennography to test several compounds occurring in the pheromones, hindgut extracts or headspace emissions of non‐Ips bark beetles. The compounds that caused the strongest antennal responses were used along with α‐pinene (host‐tree volatile) and monochamol (2‐undecyloxy‐1‐ethanol, a male‐produced aggregation pheromone of M. galloprovincialis) to prepare the lures for olfactometric and field testing. In the field experiments, the lure containing (+)‐α‐pinene, monochamol, (1R)‐(−)‐myrtenal and (S)‐(−)‐trans‐verbenol was equally effective as the commercial lure Galloprotect Pack. It attracted significantly less Thanasimus formicarius and T. femoralis beetles. Thus, the new lure can serve as a basis for developing an operational lure for monitoring M. galloprovincialis with reduced bycatch of predatory beetles.