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Brazilian longhorn beetle is sawing culms

Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 1:46 pm
by Rai Hannover
Dear bamboofriends,

please have look at the pictures of the 6th October in this Brazilian bamboo blog http://agrobambu.blogspot.de.
A longhorn beetle is sawing culms of bamboo and putting the eggs on the separated dead pieces of the culm. Did you ever see anything like this?

Regards,
Rai

Re: Brazilian longhorn beetle is sawing culms

Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 2:03 pm
by johnw
Rai - I hope you have had no problems signing in and posting.

Does the beetle also attack dried canes as well? That would be a serious setback for the construction of bamboo houses & construction in general in countries that so desparately need them. Let's hope they are not winter hardy though it might be a concern in places like southern Italy.

john

Re: Brazilian longhorn beetle is sawing culms

Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 2:18 pm
by Rai Hannover
Hi John,

I had no problems signing in and posting. Thank you!
The beetles attack only new culms on the verge of hardening. The location is near Porto Alegre.

Rai

Re: Brazilian longhorn beetle is sawing culms

Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:12 pm
by johnw
Given its name I assume this pest is native to tropical South America. Is it just recently discovered or has it just now started attacking bamboo? This could be devasting if bamboos have not always been in its diet.

Re: Brazilian longhorn beetle is sawing culms

Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:31 pm
by Rai Hannover
It is not known to me, if Oncideres has changed his host plant or if this pest is original. I personally see these symptoms for the first time. I assume that Oncideres can survive in the southern states of the USA.

Rai

Re: Brazilian longhorn beetle is sawing culms

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 5:56 pm
by marcat
The first insect looked like an Bole Weeval of some sort (can't read Portugese) the second one shown lying on it's back looks similar to the long horn beetles we have in Texas. They tend to girdle small trees and branches but seem to be picky as to what species they attack. Haven't seen any of their type damage on my bamboo.
MarCat

Re: Brazilian longhorn beetle is sawing culms

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 8:54 pm
by Rai Hannover
The first insect looked like an Bole Weeval of some sort
Yes, it is probably Rhinastus sp. It is breeding in bamboos, but it has never been reported girdeling the bamboo.
the second one shown lying on it's back looks similar to the long horn beetles we have in Texas. They tend to girdle small trees and branches but seem to be picky as to what species they attack.
Yes, it is probably just as the longhorn beetles in Texas a spezies of Oncideres, but in Brasil may be that ist is Oncideres dejeani. Fortunately there is the equator between Brasil and the southern states oft he USA. The climate of the south brasilian bamboogarden is similar to the climate of these states.

Rai