Insect pests of Caribbean pine and their natural enemies at the La Yeguada Forest Reserve, Panama

Abstract

Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea) in Panama is an important forest resource; however, in the country there is little knowledge of its phytosanitary problems. This research was developed to identify the insect pests that cause damage in pine timber production and to know their natural enemies. The research was carried out in Caribbean pine plantations at Yeguada Forest Reserve, Panama. In the sawmills and surrounding areas, were carried out: wood damage sampling, setting Lindgren traps, breeding insects in emergency cages and sampling affected trees. For parasitoids, level of larval parasitoidism was estimated along the stem and statistically compared. Two types of damage were found in the sawn wood: perforations and blue staining. Perforations were caused by Xyleborus affinis and the blue spotting by a fungus associated with a beetle of the genus Ips. Ten insect species of natural enemies were found, nine of these are predators and one parasitoid. Among predators, two species of Epiphloeus and Nemozoma genera specialize in bark and ambrosia beetles. Roptrocerus xylophagorum was most abundant natural enemy, his parasitoidism levels on Ips sp. is 12.6%, frequent value for this parasitoid in Ips species. The distribution of the parasitoid along the stem was greater in the apical section, which is related to the greater presence of third-stage larvae in this section.