Teflon Coating and Anti-Escape Ring Improve Trapping Efficiency of the Longhorn Beetle, Monochamus alternatus

The longhorn beetle Monochamus alternatus is an important conifer stem-boring pest and the main vector in Asia of the invasive pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, which causes a devastating pine disease. Field experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of coating black panel traps with different concentrations of an anti-adhesive material, Teflon, on Monochamus captures. Tests were also conducted to look at the possible decrease in the Teflon effect with exposure duration as well as the effect of the implementation of an anti-escape ring on the trap. The three tested Teflon concentrations significantly improved the captures of M. alternatus with regard to those with uncoated traps. The beetle captures increased by 108.3% in traps coated with a 4x Teflon dilution, but no significant differences in captures were observed when the traps were coated with either a Teflon stock solution or a 8x dilution. The trapping efficiency gradually decreased with the duration of exposure of the coated traps. No significant difference was observed after one year of exposure, but the trapping efficiency significantly decreased by 36.6% after 2 years and by 72.0% after 3 years. Two-year old, coated traps equipped with an anti-escape ring were nearly three times more efficient than those without an anti-escape ring, but the captures were still lower than those obtained with newly coated traps. The present study provides valuable information for the future development of environmentally friendly prevention methods. Attractants combined with Teflon coating and an anti-escape ring could significantly improve the trapping efficiency of M. alternatus adults, which may allow for the reduction of the population density of M. alternatus and transmission probability of pine wilt disease.