Biology, ecology, and management of the longhorn date palm borer Jebusaea hammerschmidtii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The longhorn beetle (LHB) Jebusaea hammerschmidtii (Reiche) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a major pest of date palm Phoenix dactlylifera L. in the Middle East. The larvae tunnel and feed inside the palm trunk and thus difficult to control with insecticides. The flight characteristics of the beetle were studied using a computerized flight mill under controlled environment. For the management, two trials were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of phosphine gas and ECO2FUME (EF) in the management of this beetle. In the first trial, artificially infested date palms, under field conditions, were used to test the efficacy of phosphine, while the second trial dealt with the efficacy of EF on naturally infested date palm offshoots in airtight fumigation chamber. The maximum cumulative distance flown by the beetle was found 11.5 km at a temperature of 35°C, while a minimum distance of 2.4 km was recorded at 45°C. EF in combination with phosphine concentration of 1500 ppm and exposure period of 72 h at 25°C was effective against J. hammerschmidtii.