Intra- and interspecific variations in flight performance of oak-associated Agrilinae (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) using computerised flight mills
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Abstract
Several Agrilinae species (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) are thermophilous forest borers, and some are also major invasive pests. They are expected to be favoured by climate change and the global deterioration of forest health, and expand their range and damage. Flight behaviour and performance of these insects are poorly known despite their critical role in dispersal and their relevance to management. This study aimed to assess intra- and interspecific variability in active flight of several Agrilinae species and effects of sex and mass on this variability. We assessed the flight performance of eleven oak-associated species (nine Agrilus , one Coraebus, one Meliboeus ) plus one herb-associated Agrilus . Computer-monitored flight mills were used to measure flight parameters of 250 beetles. Overall, flight capacities were rather homogeneous among species, with a dominance of poor flyers and only Coraebus undatus showed outstanding performance. Beetles generally performed several short flight bouts within one trial, and only a few individuals sustained long flight. The maximal total distance covered across multiple assays until death ranged from 170 to 16 097 m, with a median between 35 and 966 m (excluding individuals that never flew). Add to this interspecific variability, flight distances varied greatly among individuals, but were not influenced by sex. Preflight body mass had mixed effects depending on the species, presumably related to dispersal patterns. In our experimental conditions, most species had limited average dispersal capacities over multiple flight trials. Overall, long-distance dispersal and colonisation events probably depend on a small proportion of individuals which largely exceeded the median performance.
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Some insects are known to be phytosanitary threats on a wide diversity of plants and can have important economic and ecological impacts in their native area. This is the case of some species within the jewel beetle subfamily Agrilinae (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), which are associated with broadleaf forest declines and diebacks (Jendek & Poláková, 2014). These thermophilous borers are expected to be favoured by climate change and the global deterioration of forest health, and ultimately expand their range and damage.
Active flight plays a crucial role in the life strategies of most insects, facilitating essential activities such as mate searching, locating trophic resources, finding favorable environmental conditions, and dispersing to or colonizing new geographic areas (Dudley, 2002). Studying flight capacities provides valuable …
Some insects are known to be phytosanitary threats on a wide diversity of plants and can have important economic and ecological impacts in their native area. This is the case of some species within the jewel beetle subfamily Agrilinae (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), which are associated with broadleaf forest declines and diebacks (Jendek & Poláková, 2014). These thermophilous borers are expected to be favoured by climate change and the global deterioration of forest health, and ultimately expand their range and damage.
Active flight plays a crucial role in the life strategies of most insects, facilitating essential activities such as mate searching, locating trophic resources, finding favorable environmental conditions, and dispersing to or colonizing new geographic areas (Dudley, 2002). Studying flight capacities provides valuable insights into the ecology of these species and helps estimate their ability to spread within new environments. Assessing the flight capacities of pest and alien species is therefore critical for evaluating their dispersal potential and for designing effective monitoring and control strategies.
The study by Le Souchu et al. (2024) aimed to assess intra- and interspecific variability in active flight of several Agrilinae species and to evaluate the effects of sex and mass on this variability. Using computerised flight mills, they assessed the flight performance of twelve species, most of them associated with oaks. A key feature of the study is the extensive dataset used, which reveals significant variability in flight distance and capacity among species and individuals. Body mass positively influenced flight capacity in some species, while no sexual dimorphism was observed. The findings suggest a generally low average dispersal propensity within these species and highlight the critical role of rare, exceptional individuals in driving colonization and spread patterns at both population and species levels.
Overall, the study provides a valuable comparative analysis of flight behavior and performance in several Agrilinae species associated with oak forests. Because flight behaviour and performance of these insects are poorly known despite their critical role in dispersal inside and outside native ranges and their relevance for management purposes, this study contributes to filling this gap. From a broader perspective, the findings revealed several common traits among the studied species and provide insights into the influence of different factors on flight activity.
References
Dudley, R. (2002) The biomechanics of insect flight: form, function, evolution. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691186344
Jendek, E., Poláková, J. (2014) Host Plants of World Agrilus (Coleoptera, Buprestidae). Springer International Publishing, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08410-7
Le Souchu, E., Sallé, A., Bankhead-Dronnet, S., Laparie, M., Sauvard, S. (2024) Intra- and interspecific variations in flight performance of oak-associated Agrilinae (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) using computerised flight mills . bioRxiv, ver.2 peer-reviewed and recommended by PCI Zoology https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.01.601558
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