Effect of temperature on development and survival of burnt pine longhorn Arhopalus ferus (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) eggs

ABSTRACT The burnt pine longhorn beetle, Arhopalus ferus (Mulsant) (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera), is an introduced species in New Zealand that can occur as a hitch-hiker in association with export logs and sawn timber. Its life cycle is completed in decaying pine. We determined the effect of 14 constant temperatures from 3 to 41 °C on the development and survival of burnt pine longhorn eggs. The lower temperature limit for development was estimated to be 10.4 °C, 6.3 °C and 7.6 °C by a linear model and two non-linear models, respectively. The latter two estimates may be more accurate than the former as the development curve deviates from linearity at low temperatures. The optimum temperature for development, when development rate is at a maximum, was estimated by the non-linear models as 33.8 °C and 34.7 °C. Eggs hatched within the range 10–38 °C with duration ranging from a maximum of 92 days at 10 °C to a minimum of 4.3 days at 35 °C. Survival exceeded 90% in the range 13–32 °C and declined to zero at 7 °C and 41 °C.