Seasonal flight pattern of the western balsam bark beetle, Dryocoetes confusus Swaine (Coleoptera: Curculioniae), in Central British Columbia

Seasonal flight pattern of the western balsam bark beetle, Dryocoetes confusus Swaine, in stands of subalpine fir, Abies lasiocarpa (Hook) Nutt., in north-central British Columbia was monitored for three years using multiple-funnel traps baited with (±)-exo-brevicomin. There were two major flight periods per year, the first commencing in mid- to late June, and the second occurring in mid- to late August. The first flight was predominantly males, while the second flight was composed primarily of females, probably reemerged parent adults. Little flight occurred until within-stand temperatures exceeded 15ºC. Traps placed 6 m above ground caught 4 times as many beetles as traps placed 2 m above ground. Our results indicate that semio-chemical-based manipulation of the western balsam bark beetle should be implemented by early May