Selection of pheromone trap and attractant dispenser load to monitor black army cutworm,Actebia fennica

Abstract

Catch rates of black army cutworm moths,Actebia fennica (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), were determined for different types of traps and different dispenser loads of sex attractant. Of the five traps tested, highest catch (35 males/per night) was obtained with Uni-Traps, whereas Pherocon 1CP, Delta and Hara traps rapidly became saturated at 9, 6, and 11 males/per night, respectively. Multi-Pher traps, like the Uni-Traps, have a covered vertical cone with a large collecting bucket but only catch about 1/3 of the number of moths (9 males/per night) as the Uni-Traps, thus reducing potential saturation. Red rubber septa loaded with 500 μg of attractant blend gave a consistent catch for at least 60 days; 1000 and 2000 μg loadings lasted for a minimum of 90 days. Polyvinylchloride and red rubber septa dispensers containing 100 μg of attractant had similar catch rates, which decreased rapidly with age. Based on these trap and lure-loading experiments, Multi-Pher traps baited with 1000 μg of attractant in a red rubber septum were selected for future calibration studies between catch density and population fluctuations on susceptible sites. Two years of monitoring results also are reported.