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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #131060
Title: FLIGHT TUNNEL AND FIELD EVALUATIONS OF STICKY TRAPS FOR MONITORING CODLING MOTH (LEPIDOOPTERA:TORTRICIDAE)IN SEX PHEROMONE-TREATED ORCHARDS

Author
item Knight, Alan
item Larson, Duane
item Christianson Jr, Brad

Submitted to: Journal of British Columbia Entomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2002
Publication Date: 12/1/2002
Citation: Knight, A.L., Larson, D.L., Christianson Jr, B.A. 2002. Flight tunnel and field evaluations of sticky traps for monitoring codling moth (Lepidooptera:Tortricidae)in sex pheromone-treated orchards. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia. 99:107-116.

Interpretive Summary: Sticky traps baited with the sex pheromone of codling moth are widely used to monitor its populations in pome fruit and walnut orchards. Moth catch is used to both recommend and to time insecticide sprays. A reliable trap is needed to make accurate decisions about the population density of this pest. Currently, several trap types are used but the standard trap is the wing-style 1CP. In our study we compared the efficiency of several trap types including a delta and diamond trap type. The most widely used commercial trap type (1CP wing) was found to be the least effective trap design in both laboratory and field studies. The poor performance of the 1CP trap appeared to be due to the lack of adhesive on a portion of the trap's interior. The delta and diamond traps performed similarly in the laboratory and in orchards with low pest pressure. However, the larger delta trap caught more moths than the diamond trap within an orchard with high pest pressure. These data provide useful information on the performance of several commercial trap types. Standardization of trapping systems including trap type is an important factor that growers can use to improve their interpretation of moth catches in making important pest management decisions.

Technical Abstract: The efficiency of several trap types in capturing male codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) was evaluated. Flight tunnel studies found no differences among trap types in terms of moth orientation behaviors, however, the proportion of moths contacting each trap type that were eventually caught varied significantly. A significantly lower proportion of moths landing on the front opening of the 1CP wing trap were captured than for the other traps. The position of moth's first contact varied among traps with a significantly higher proportion landing on the outside of the wing style versus the delta and diamond traps. A majority of moths orienting to the diamond and delta traps first landed on the front flap and walked into the trap. The removal of the front flap from these traps did not affect their efficiency. Lure position within a delta trap did not affect moth catch, but it did affect the position of a moth's first contact with the trap. The relative field performance of traps was consistent with the laboratory studies: the 1CP trap caught significantly fewer moths than the other traps. However, in an orchard with a high moth density the cumulative moth catch was proportional to the adhesive-treated surface area of each trap type.