The Asian longhorn beetle Anoplophora glabripennis is highly polyphagous and widely spread over regions with different climates. Determining the key life‐history traits is important for understanding how local conditions affect its successful establishment and to develop adaptive management strategies. Field and laboratory studies were conducted from 2010 to 2012 on an A. glabripennis infestation in Northern Italy, aiming to determine its seasonal phenology, adult beetle longevity, density of successful emergence, infestation age and overwintering life history. Adult beetle emerged from infested trees from 22 May to 28 June. Ninety percent of emergence was reached around 20 July. The first 1% of emergence was accurately predicted by an accumulated degree‐day model. In the laboratory, the mean longevity of males and females developed under natural conditions was 27.8 ± 1.7 and 24.9 ± 1.8 days, respectively. In northern Italy, A. glabripennis largely overwinter as mature larvae in the xylem. The mean density of exit holes was 24.0 ± 2.7 holes/m2 of bark, with successful emergence from branches as small as 3.2 cm in diameter. Although the infestation was discovered in June 2009, the oldest exit hole found in infested trees dated from 2005.

In this study, we assessed the relationship between the size of bolts cut from pin oak trees, Quercus palustris Munchhausen (Fagaceae), and eastern white pines, Pinus strobus Linnaeus (Pinaceae), and the number and body size of cerambycid beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) that develop within them. From oak bolts emerged adult Graphisurus fasciatus (De Geer) (98% of beetles) and Xylotrechus colonus (Fabricius), while pine bolts produced Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier) (95%) and Astylopsis sexguttata (Say). The number of G. fasciatus was positively correlated with the diameter of the oak bolts, while the greatest number of M. carolinensis emerged from pine bolts of intermediate diameter. Body size of both species was positively correlated with bolt diameter. Rates of parasitism were very low, only 0.9% for oaks, and averaging 5.3 +/- 8.6% across pine bolts. Oak bolts yielded the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Wroughtonia ferruginea (Brues) and a species in the genus Atanycolus Forster (similar to Atanycolus charus (Riley)), and an ichneumonid (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in the genus Demopheles Forster. Pine bolts produced a braconid in the genus Digonogastra Viereck, and the tachinid fly (Diptera: Tachinidae) Billaea monohammi (Townsend).

The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) (Anoplophora glabripennis) is among high-risk invasive species that have invaded the U.S. from China. ALB has attacked 25 deciduous tree species in 13 genera in North America, most notably 7 maple (Acer) species. Methods developed for control of A. glabripennis include the removal of infested trees and the use of systemic and contact insecticides. However, alternative environmentally compatible biological control methods are desired. Of particular interest are biological control agents that possess high host searching ability, particularly under low pest population levels and within species rich landscapes. Focus is also on egg and early larval instar life stages of A. glabripennis.

Leaf discs from pecan, Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch, pea, Pisum sativum L., peach, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, and fig, Fiscus benjamina L. were presented to nymph and adult blackmargined aphids, Monellia caryella (Fitch) in no-choice and choice bioassays. Nymph longevity and developmental rates, and adult longevity and reproductive rates were significantly greater when aphids were placed on pecan than on pea, peach or fig. In no-choice bioassays, both nymph and adult aphids preferred to settle-on pecan, while they preferred to wander- or settle-off of pea, peach and fig. In choice bioassays, both nymph and adult aphids preferred to settle-on pecan than to settle-on pea, peach and fig. Analysis of pecan, pea, peach and fig leaf cuticular chemistry showed that n-alkane distribution patterns and the major cuticular components, specifically triterpenes and their oxidation products, differed among the four plant species. This study provides the first evidence within the pecan/aphid interactive system which suggests that the distinct foliar cuticular chemistry of pecan may have an influence on the host recognition behavior of M. caryella.