Abstract
Simple SummaryVine weevil remains one of the most economically important insect pests of soft-fruit and ornamental crops globally. Growers currently lack effective monitoring systems to determine presence of vine weevil within crops, meaning that controls are often applied too late to prevent economic losses. Development of improved monitoring systems is currently hindered by a lack of knowledge of whether vine weevil adults select a monitoring tool based on its visual appearance. This study used paper cups as refuges to investigate the importance of colour, shape and position of entrances on monitoring tool efficacy. Results indicate that dark, tall refuges with entrances around their base were preferentially entered by adult vine weevil. This information provides the first steps towards developing improved designs for vine weevil monitoring tools.Vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus F. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an economically important insect pest of horticultural crops. To identify an effective and reliable monitoring system for adult vine weevil, this study investigated the influence of colour, height and entrance position on the efficacy of a model monitoring tool using modified paper cups as refuges. Vine weevil preferences were determined by the number of individuals recorded within a refuge. When provided with a binary choice between black or white refuges, vine weevil adults showed a preference for black refuges. Vine weevils provided with a range of coloured refuges (blue, green, red and yellow) in addition to black and white refuges showed a preference for black and blue over the other colours and white refuges in group choice experiments. Refuge height and entrance position also influenced vine weevil behaviour with individuals exhibiting a preference for taller refuges and those with entrance openings around the refuge base. These results provide insights into refuge selection by adult vine weevils, which can be exploited to improve monitoring tool design. The importance of developing an effective monitoring tool for vine weevil adults as part of an integrated pest management programme is discussed.
Highlights
Vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most economically important pest species of soft-fruit and ornamental crops globally [1,2]
With fewer synthetic chemical insecticide options available for vine weevil control, there has been a shift to using biological controls, such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and fungi (EPFs) [20,21,22,23,24,25]
A better understanding of vine weevil visual ecology and how they interact with monitoring tools will help inform their optimisation and improve detection and monitoring of this pest [35]
Summary
Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most economically important pest species of soft-fruit and ornamental crops globally [1,2]. This polyphagous species has a Palearctic distribution but has been inadvertently introduced to several regions outside their native range through plant trade routes [1]. Growers have historically relied on broadspectrum synthetic chemical insecticides for vine weevil control [10,12,13,14,15,16] Many of these products have, been withdrawn from the market due to their negative impacts on the environment and human health [17,18,19]. With fewer synthetic chemical insecticide options available for vine weevil control, there has been a shift to using biological controls, such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and fungi (EPFs) [20,21,22,23,24,25]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
