Author
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Landolt, Peter |
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Mitchell, Everett |
|
Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/18/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Research is being conducted to develop safe and effective methods to replace the use of environmentally hazardous pesticides for the control of insect pests of field and vegetable crops at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida, the behavior of pest species of moths is studied to discover and develop new and safe ways to reduce their populations on agricultural crops. The tobacco budworm moth was found to be attracted to a bait made from fermenting solutions of palm sugar extract. This bait is attractive to both males and females and may provide the basis for developing a chemical lure for trapping this pest in cotton and other crops Technical Abstract: Male tobacco budworm moths, Heliothis virescens Fab., released into a field cage were recaptured in traps baited with aged 10% jaggery, a palm sugar extract. Both male and female tobacco budworm moths were attracted to aged 10% jaggery in a flight tunnel, exhibiting oriented flights ending in contact with the bait. Although the bait was initially not attractive either to females in a flight tunnel or to males in a field cage, it subsequently became attractive after one week and increased in attractiveness up to 24 days after it was made. |
