In corn earworm monitoring traps, a closely related species, Heliothis phloxiphaga (Grote & Robinson), is captured in large numbers. This is a problem for pest managers and growers. We wanted to find a pheromone blend that reduced the capture of false corn earworm. We started with a four component blend (Klun et al.) and modified two of the components; (Z)-7-hexadecenal and hexadecanal. Five different rubber release septa were also tested. We also tested for the best pheromone dose that would optimize the capture of corn earworm while minimizing the capture of false corn earworm. Additionally, we tested several trap types. A corn earworm pheromone blend that contained 23.3% (Z)-7-hexadecenal reduced the capture of false corn earworm by 60%. Pheromone released from West-Red rubber septa captured significantly more corn earworm than other septa tested. A pheromone dose of 1.1 mg was optimal for corn earworm capture. The Universal Moth Trap is as efficient or more efficient than any other trap tested.
Species 1: Lepidoptera Noctuidae Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (corn earworm)
Species 2: Lepidoptera Noctuidae Heliothis phloxiphaga (Grote & Robinson)
Keywords: corn earworm, pheromone monitoring
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA