Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner    -    James R. Karels, Director


 
Forest Health> Insects> Southern Pine Beetle

Spring Pheromone Trap Forecast

Introduction

Since 1995, the Florida DOACS Division of Forestry (DOF) has participated in an annual southwide Southern Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis, or SPB) spring trapping survey. This survey monitors numbers of adult SPBs and their clerid predators captured in pheromone-baited flight traps during the SPB primary spring dispersal phase. The results are used as an early-season prediction of SPB population trends and activity levels, allowing forest managers to identify areas of potential SPB activity in advance of aerial detection flights. The survey also provides data for monitoring SPB population levels from year to year. The survey technique and accompanying prediction model were developed by Dr. Ron Billings at the Texas Forest Service, have been employed throughout the Southeast since 1986, and have proven to be 75-85% accurate in predicting SPB activity for a given year. Recently, the Florida survey successfully predicted outbreak levels for several counties in 2001, as well as statewide low levels of activity from 2003 through 2006.

SUMMARY OF FLORIDA SPB PHEROMONE TRAP SURVEYS, PREDICTIONS, AND INFESTATIONS: 1995-2007

Year

No. of Counties Trapped

SPB/Trap/
Day


%
SPB

Prediction
Trend/Level

No. of
Infestations

1995 10 21.0 66 Increasing/Moderate 718
1996 19 0.3 34 Declining/Low 61
1997 19 0.5 22 Static/Low 863
1998 19 7.2 59 Increasing/Low 34
1999 20 1.4 38 Declining/Low 220
2000 21 13.2 62 Increasing/Moderate 1,172
2001 23 45.0 69 Increasing/High 2,892
2002 26 47.0 80 Increasing/High 650
2003 27 2.0 45 Declining/Low 2
2004 27 0.6 19 Static/Low 16
2005 26 4.8 36 Static/Low 7
2006 25 1.0 15 Static/Low 3
2007 26 0.4 25 Static/Low ?
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