Geranyl hexanoate attracting male click beetles Agriotes rufipalpis Brulle and Agriotes sordidus Illiger (Col., Elateridae)

Abstract

In field screening tests in Hungary, traps baited with geranyl hexanoate captured males of the click beetle Agriotes rufipalpis Brulle´ , whereas in Italy males of Agriotes sordidus Illiger (Col., Elateridae) were captured. Geranyl hexanoate-baited traps could be very useful in rationalizing the control of these pests. Such traps can give useful information without making expensive and time-consuming 2 samplings of the soil layers in search of larvae. Traps can be effective also in describing swarming patterns and identifying the peak of male activity, thus yielding an estimate of the level of adult populations, making it possible to forecast future outbreaks and to concentrate agronomic and chemical control strategies against the pests most effectively.