Modifications to Pheromone Traps to Improve Efficiency in Trapping Plodia Interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pheromone trap modification on the catch of male Plodia Interpunctella. Laboratory experiments were conducted comparing pairs of different trap designs, each having different modifications, to determine the effect on moths catches Moths catch of standard funnel trap compared with a sticky delta trap was not significantly different (p>0.05). Delta trap modified with windows cut (12cm long x 7cm height) on the sides panel of trap proved to significantly caught more moths than the funnel trap (p<0.05). Changing a lure position within the modified delta trap from a suspended position to one directly on the sticky surface significantly increased moth catches (p<0.05). When the same two lure positions were compared in terms of the time elapsed between moths entering and eventually being trapped, it was found that trap with lure on the sticky surface caught moths more quickly than the other lure position (p<0.05). In the comparison of three traps heights, a modified delta trap placed on the cage floor proved to significantly catch more moths than the other two traps height. The results presented here recommended modified delta trap for use in the field.