Abstract

ARGUEDAS-GAMBOA, Marcela  and  RODRIGUEZ-SOLIS, María. Xylem insect borers in commercial forest species in Costa Rica. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.35, pp.79-89. ISSN 2007-1132.

Several insect families cause damage to the wood of standing trees, causing significant economic losses in commercial reforestation projects. Since 1984, the Costa Rica Institute of Technology has developed a national diagnosis of forest pests; in this study information concerning xylem borers of tree species is systematized. Damaged samples are collected and taken to the laboratory Sanidad Forestal del Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica for adults directly or through their breeding form, which were identified in institutions specialized in insect taxonomy. Damage was recorded on 41 tree species, some of them of great importance in the programs of commercial reforestation in Costa Rica such as Acacia mangium, Alnus acuminata, Bombacopsis quinata, Cordia alliodora, Cupressus lusitanica, Gmelina arborea, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Tectona grandis, Terminalia spp. and Vochysia guatemalensis. Also other effects caused by 84 taxa of insect borers included in 12 entomological families were identified: 36 % Cerambycidae, 29 % Curculionidae, 10 % Scolitinae, 25 % Hepialidae and on others. However, mortality has not been reported from the activity of these borers, but they do drastically affect the quality of wood, and for that reason, should be considered as pests of great impact on forestry in the country.

Keywords : Cerambycidae; Hepialidae; borers; forest plantations; Scolitinae; xylem.

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