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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #93825
Title: Nontarget Hymenoptera collected in pheromone-and synthetic floral volatile-baited traps

Author
item Meagher, Robert - Rob
item Mitchell, Everett

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/23/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: Meagher Jr, R.L., Mitchell, E.R. 1999. Nontarget Hymenoptera collected in pheromone-and synthetic floral volatile-baited traps. Environmental Entomology. 28(3):367-371.

Interpretive Summary: Several moth pests, including fall armyworm, beet armyworm, corn earworm, and tobacco budworm damage many agronomic crops including corn, cotton, rice, forage grasses, and peanuts. Sex pheromone baits have been developed and are used to detect and measure population sizes. Scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Florida, are developing additional compounds that may aid in monitoring moth populations. One of these compounds is a floral volatile known as phenylacetaldehyde. However, one problem when using these floral compounds is that insects other than moths may be captured. Monitoring traps baited with moth sex pheromones and synthetic floral volatiles were used to collect bees and wasps in large fields of cotton and corn. Almost forty different species were captured, including honeybees, bumblebees, paper wasps, and other beneficial wasps. More bees were collected from traps baited with fall armyworm sex pheromone than those baited with phenylacetaldehyde, whereas more wasps were collected in phenylacetaldehyde-baited traps. Trap design was also an important factor in capture of various species. More wasps were collected in fabric cone- shaped traps than plastic funnel traps. Efforts should be made to develop traps and lures that are not attractive to non-target species such as bees and wasps, but consistently capture the target moth pest.

Technical Abstract: Monitoring traps baited with lepidopteran sex pheromones and synthetic floral volatiles were used to collect adult Hymenoptera in large fields of cotton and corn. Species from Apoidea, Pompiloidea, Scolioidea, Sphecoidea, and Vespoidea were collected, including the genera Ammophila, Apis, Bombus, Cerceris, Larra, Melissodes, Myzinum, and Tachytes. More Apoidea were collected from traps baited with Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) sex pheromone than those baited with phenylacetaldehyde, whereas more Sphecoidea and Scolioidea were collected in phenylacetaldehyde-baited traps. Trap design was also an important factor in capture of various species. More Sphecoidea and Tiphioidea were collected in fabric cone- shaped traps than plastic funnel traps. Efforts should be made to develop traps and lures that are not attractive or that do not easily capture aculeate Hymenoptera, but consistently capture the target pest.