Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Forest Resources
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. David R Coyle
Committee Member
Dr. R. Talbot Trotter, III
Committee Member
Dr. Muhammad Z. Ahmed
Abstract
The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky; ALB) is a major threat to forest health due to the damage done by larval feeding in host trees. In 2020, ALB was discovered in Charleston County, South Carolina, which presents a novel climate for this invasive pest in North America. I investigated the reproductive biology and larval development of ALB to support detection and management efforts. By exposing 19 host trees to mated pairs of adults, I was able to determine rates of oviposition success (55%), egg viability (55%), and early larval survival (56%). On average, females chewed nearly 1 egg site per beetle per day; however, oviposition rates were variable among individuals. I also examined larval morphometrics, specifically head capsule width and dry weight, and larval feeding behavior by sampling 1,351 larvae across >3 generations. Seasonal changes in larval morphometrics indicated that ALB is univoltine in South Carolina and maintains a diapause period over the winter; although variation in these data suggests a subgroup of larvae may develop at a slightly faster or slower rate. I also identified the temporal and morphological trends associated with the larval transition from phloem to xylem feeding. Most of the phloem-feeding larvae were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instar, with the feeding transition occurring in the 3rd or 4th instar. Improving our understanding of ALB reproduction and larval development in a novel environment benefits risk analysis, survey, and life-stage dependent management techniques.
Recommended Citation
Stone, Lindsey A., "Reproduction and Larval Development of the Invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle in South Carolina" (2025). All Theses. 4635.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4635