Effect of Different Coloured Light Traps on Captures and Controlling Wax Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Mahmoud Mabrouk,Mohamed Mahbob

doi:10.21608/eajbsa.2015.12883

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to determine the attractive action of different colours (red, yellow, green, blue, white and black) to adult greater ,Galleria mellonella L. and lesser, Achroia grisella Fab., (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and to assess the influence of trap colour on their capture moths in plastic bottles baited traps. The results demonstrated, Galleria mellonella L. and Achroia grisella Fab. can distinguish between various colours , with regard to treatment colours light traps with red light, black, blue trapped significantly higher numbers of both greater and lesser wax moths followed by green, yellow and white traps. In conclusion, a trap with red and black light colour was the best attractive equipment for the wax moths. Where, the red colour traps caught the greatest number of moths, recording, 50.0% of the total moth captured, while the, white color traps caught the fewest number of moths recording only 23.27% with average 42.977% when the traps is far from the colonies by 6 meters only, while they were 50.94 and 3.7% with average 38.58 % when the distance between the colonies and light trap were 12 meters. Future research is recommended for better understanding of the effect of trap color on the diversity and abundance of non-target insects captured.

Highlights

Wax moths are serious pests of bees wax worldwide
Culturing of wax moths: Naturally infested old wax combs with greater and lesser wax moths were obtained from the apiary of beekeeping research department and were taken to a rearing in the empty hive boxes and kept in apiary under the weather condition at Dakhla Oasis (24 ± 5 °C. and 60 ±5% R.H.) till the adult emergence (Mabrouk et al, 2009) Described trapping:Light trap: Catcher were collect by Robinson light traps (Robinson and Robinson 1950), each of these was fitted with a 200 watt vapor lamp (Philips HPI-27236G/197)
All six lights were arranged in line at 6 meters apart from each row to other to let the insect to orientate toward their most favorite light color .In the all traps, plastic Jar containing pieces of old wax and soapy water was placed under each light trap to attract and gather the insects .At the end of each week, insect material of each Jar was transferred to laboratory for identified the wax moths. (Greater and Lesser) most of the insects were identified by naked eye .The data were tabulated as percentages of insects attracted per light color and over all number of insects collected at each light. statistical analysis: