Abstract
In the UK, severe infestations by Plutella xylostella occur sporadically and are due mainly to the immigration of moths. The aim of this study was to develop a more detailed understanding of the phenology of P. xylostella in the UK and investigate methods of monitoring moth activity, with the aim of providing warnings to growers. Plutella xylostella was monitored using pheromone traps, by counting immature stages on plants, and by accessing citizen science data (records of sightings of moths) from websites and Twitter. The likely origin of migrant moths was investigated by analysing historical weather data. The study confirmed that P. xylostella is a sporadic but important pest, and that very large numbers of moths can arrive suddenly, most often in early summer. Their immediate sources are countries in the western part of continental Europe. A network of pheromone traps, each containing a small camera sending images to a website, to monitor P. xylostella remotely provided accessible and timely information, but the particular system tested did not appear to catch many moths. In another approach, sightings by citizen scientists were summarised on a web page. These were accessed regularly by growers and, at present, this approach appears to be the most effective way of providing timely warnings.
Highlights
IntroductionThe diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is an important pest of brassicaceous crops (e.g., cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower) worldwide [1,2]
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is an important pest of brassicaceous crops worldwide [1,2]
Records of the numbers of visits to the web page on the University of Warwick website (Figure 8) indicated that the information was being accessed regularly and web page visits increased when growers were reminded with emails from the AHDB; there was usually a “peak” following the regular weekly pest update on a Monday
Summary
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is an important pest of brassicaceous crops (e.g., cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower) worldwide [1,2]. The relatively short life-cycle of P. xylostella [3] means that it can complete several generations in a year in most locations This is important in tropical regions, where it is a pernicious pest and may complete up to 14 generations in a year [4]. Following wide-scale application of insecticides to Brassica crops over recent decades [5], P. xylostella has developed high levels of resistance to a number of chemical and biological insecticides, in tropical regions [6]. This presents a considerable challenge for growers in many parts of the world
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