Natural Science Forum / Biology / Entomology / July 2008

I live on Okinawa, Japan and am fighting an infestation on our beloved
orange tree. I won the battle with the larvae in the trunk.  The tree
stopped dropping it's leaves, flowered in the spring and has borne immature
fruit. My battle now is how to keep the mature beetles from stripping tha
bark from the delicate branches. They are really doing a number on the tree
and the outlook is not good. The tree has begun to shed leaves and fruit
from the damaged branches. I cannot spray because we live in a semi-urban
area and there is worry about the insecticide carrying to the neighbors in
the air. I have taken to covering the tree with a white nylon net just a few
days ago and this seems to have stopped the beetle from alighting on the
branches. The beetle does not even alight on the net. Also a neighbor  just
down the road about 400m has a healthy tree and no beetles. She does not
treat the tree and was alarmed at our discussion.
My question is does anyone know how this beetle locates the site it needs to
feed and lay eggs?
Is it visually or is it by scent or pherome?
Thank you!