Predatory behavior of Tetrigus lewisi on Monochamus alternatus

Pine wilt is a serious and fatal disease in pine forests. It is caused by the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, transmitted by the Japanese saw beetle Monochamus alternatus. Control of this disease depends on reducing its vector population. The public is demanding environmentally friendly control methods and biological control has become increasingly seen as an important, safe and effective approach. Through our investigations both in the field and by breeding in our laboratory, a new predator of M. alternatus, Tetrigus lewisi (Coleoptera:Elateridae), was found for the first time in China. Given our continuous observations, we are assured that the predatory behavior of the elater can be separated into four parts, i.e., foraging and sensing, killing, eating and excretion. They always took several hours to eat the preys that have been killed momentarily. We finally found that most of the elaters preferably attacked in the stomach and abdomen of the larva of M. alternatus.