Abstract: 【Aim】 Since pine wilt disease spreads to the middle temperate zone of China, Monochamus saltuarius has become a new vector of pine wood nematode in northern China. Due to the abundant pine tree species damaged by the pine wood nematode in the middle temperate zone, the preferences of M. saltuarius to four host pine trees in the process of supplementary nutrition were assessed in this study, in order to provide theoretical basis for the prevention and control of M. saltuarius and the monitoring of pine wilt disease in the middle temperate zone. 【Methods】 Before the flight period of M. saltuarius on May, 2020, Pinus koraiensis trees infected by M. saltuarius were collected from Dahuofang Experimental Forest Farm in Fushun City, Liaoning Province. The infested trees were sawed into 1 m long logs, sealed with wax at both ends, and kept in insect cages. The newly emerged adults were collected every day. Three-year-old seedlings of host plants P. koraiensis, P. tabulaeformis, P. sylvestris var. mongolica and Larix olgensis were put into the four corners of the cage, respectively. Five male and five female adults emerged on the same day were placed in the center of the cage, and the daily feeding frequency on different host pine trees and average daily feeding amount on different parts of host pine trees were investigated. 【Results】 In the cage, M. saltuarius mainly stayed on P. tabulaeformis, with the daily feeding frequency of 7.05±3.87, followed by on P. koraiensis and L. olgensis. The daily feeding frequency of staying on P. sylvestris var. mongolica was the least (1.02±0.81). The daily feeding frequencies on different species of host pine trees were significantly different between male and female adults. The feeding amounts of M. saltuarius adults on four species of pine trees were significantly different. The daily feeding amount of M. saltuarius adults on P. tabulaeformis was the highest (129.14±50.23 mm²), accounting for 62.89% of the total feeding amount, followed by those on P. koraiensis and L. olgensis. And that on P. sylvestris var. mongolica was the least (9.87±11.02 mm²), accounting for only 4.81% of the total feeding amount. The feeding amounts on different parts of the same pine tree were significantly different, and M. saltuarius adults mainly fed on the tender branches of four species of pine trees.【Conclusion】 Based on the analysis of the feeding frequency and feeding amount of M. saltuarius on different pine tree species during the period of supplementary nutrition, the preference of M. saltuarius to P. tabulaeformis is significantly higher than to the other three pine trees.

Key words: Monochamus saltuarius, supplementary nutrition, host plant, pine tree, feeding frequency, feeding amount