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Questions and Answers
What are the susceptibility factors for forest damage?
Human agency, forest fires, forest factors, pests, and pathogens.
Which of the following is a common pest affecting sal trees?
The babul borer is only found on babul trees.
False
What is the role of mycorrhiza in forestry?
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The larvae of beetles and moths cause damage by boring into the trunks and feeding on their living tissues, leading to reduced ________ of the trees.
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What measures can be taken to control the sal borer pest?
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At what time of year do beetles typically appear after monsoon rainfall?
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Study Notes
Borers
- Borers are the larvae of beetles and moths that damage forest trees
- Borers feed on the living tissues of trees by boring into the trunk
- Damage caused by borers reduces the vitality of trees and can cause decay and death
- Borer damage also affects the quality of timber and reduces the value of the plantation
Sal Borer
- The Sal borer (Hoplocerambyx spinicornis) is known to occur on sal (Shorea Robusta) trees
- The Sal borer has been reported in India (Western Ghats, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh), as well as Afghanistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Singapore, Borneo and the Philippines
- Adult sal borer beetles are dark brown and measure 20-60 mm long by 5-16 mm wide
- Male sal borers have antennae that are longer than their body, while female antennae are shorter than their body
- Sal borer larva are yellowish and can grow to 9 cm in length
Sal Borer Life Cycle
- Sal borer beetles emerge after monsoon rainfall in June or July
- Female beetles lay hundreds of eggs
- Sal borer eggs hatch within 5-8 days
- Eggs are laid on cuts or holes in the bark of sal trees
- Newly hatched larvae bore into the bark and into the sapwood to feed
- Larvae create galleries packed with wood excreta
- Larvae bore into heartwood to prepare a pupal chamber
- Pupal chambers are covered in a white calcareous cocoon
- The pupal stage lasts 2-3 months
- The pest hibernates in the pupal stage in cold weather
Sal Borer Damage
- Sal borer larvae feed on the bast, sapwood, and heartwood of sal trees
- Larvae can bore into the roots, main stem, and branches of trees
- The cambium layer is destroyed by the larvae
- Wood dust from the larvae accumulates at the base of the tree
- The Sal borer is considered a serious pest in India due to periodic outbreaks that can kill millions of sal trees
Sal Borer Management
- Remove felled trees from the forest within a week of felling
- Bark every tree within a week of felling
- Collect and destroy adult Sal borer beetles when they are seen
- Encourage natural enemies of the Sal borer (e.g. birds, parasitoids, and predators)
- Place cotton balls soaked in chloroform, petroleum, or kerosene into borer holes to kill larvae
Babul Borer
- The Babul Borer (Celosterna scabrator) is commonly found in babul (Acacia nilotica) plantations in India
- Babul Borer is a polyphagous species, meaning it can damage many different tree species
- Other trees affected by the Babul Borer include Shorea robusta, Casuarina equisetifolia, Acacia arabica, Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus spp., Ziziphus jujuba, Morus alba, Tamarix indica
- The adult Babul Borer is dull, yellowish brown and measures 25-40 mm long
- Babul Borer larvae are elongated with a brown head and black mandibles
- Babul Borer pupae are reddish yellow
Babul Borer Life Cycle
- Babul Borer adults emerge in June-July when the monsoon begins
- Adults feed on the bark of young shoots
- Eggs are laid under the bark of stems 5-23 cm in girth, usually 15cm above ground level
- One egg is typically laid per stem
- Upon hatching, larvae bore into the stem...
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Description
Test your knowledge about borers, specifically the Sal borer and its impact on tree health. This quiz covers the life cycle, characteristics, and environmental distribution of the Sal borer. Understand how these pests affect forests and timber quality.
