Abstract: 【Aim】 To define the stridulatory organs and the features of acoustic signals of Hylurgus ligniperda adults, and explore the vibroacoustic treatment modes that can inhibit the female entry into logs, tunneling and fecundity. 【Methods】The stridulatory organs of female and male adults of H. ligniperda were observed using a scanning electron microscope to measure their parameters. Stress chirps, courtship chirps and rivalry chirps from male adults of H. ligniperda were recorded and analyzed for time-domain and frequency-domain parameters. Based on above acoustic studies, different vibroacoustic treatments were designed, using exciters to transmit sounds to logs. Stress chirps, courtship chirps, rivalry chirps and colony chirps of male adults of H. ligniperda, white noise, 6 kHz sine wave, sine sweep signal and stress chirps of Arhopalus rusticus adults were played for 6 d. The adult entry rate, the length of parent gallery and the number of eggs laid per female adult of H. ligniperda were counted.【Results】The stridulatory organs of H. ligniperda adults consist of plectrum and file, with males having more developed stridulatory organs. The end of the 6th abdominal tergite in males is characterized by leaf-shaped plectrums, a specialized structure absent in females. The files are located at the end of the elytral underside, near the sutural margin and close to the wing coupling. The chirp rate, duration of a single chirp, number of tooth-strikes per chirp, tooth-strike rate, and peak frequency of male adults of H. ligniperda showed extremely significant differences under the contexts of stress, courtship and competition. Different vibroacoustic treatments had no significant effect on the female entry rate of H. ligniperda adults. In the colonization phase after entry, certain vibroacoustic treatments significantly affected the length of parent gallery and the number of eggs laid per female of adults. The length of parent gallery was shortened in the rivalry chirp group of H. ligniperda at 50 cm from the exciter, and the number of eggs laid per female was reduced in the stress chirp group at the same distance from the exciter. 【Conclusion】The stridulatory organs and the characteristics of the acoustic signals of H. ligniperda adults were clarified. The rivalry chirps of H. ligniperda have the potential to inhibit tunneling, and stress chirps have the potential to inhibit oviposition by H. ligniperda. These findings provide a preliminary basis for future ecological regulation of H. ligniperda using acoustic signals.

Key words: Bark beetle; Hylurgus ligniperda, stridulation mechanism, acoustic signal, behavioral response, pest control