Field Surveys for Potential Native Biological Control Agents for the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in South Carolina

Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian Longhorned Beetle [ALB]), is an invasive woodboring beetle present in 4 states in the continental US. In May 2020, the southernmost ALB infestation was discovered near Hollywood, SC. Current eradication efforts focus on host removal, but it is often difficult or impossible to get equipment into wet or ecologically sensitive areas. Biological control may be an economically and ecologically advantageous component of a management strategy in the ongoing efforts to eradicate ALB. Thus, we conducted a survey of potential native or naturalized parasitoids and predators by collecting material infested with ALB and removing and inspecting the eggs and larvae. We also deployed sentinel logs to further determine parasitism rates in the field. None of the ALB eggs (n = 77) or larvae (n = 254) extracted from infested material (n = 89) and sentinel logs (n = 165) were parasitized by parasitoids. Generalist predators were observed but caused very low rates of predation (<1%). Overall, our study suggests that natural populations of parasitoids do not appear to be sufficient for managing ALB in South Carolina at this time.