Monday, December 11, 2006
D0082

Behavioral responses of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to light

Kishan R. Sambaraju, kr_sambaraju@yahoo.com, Oklahoma State University, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK and Thomas W. Phillips, tom.phillips@okstate.edu, Oklahoma State University, Entomology and Plant Pathology, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK.

The Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a major pest of food commodities in storage and packaging. Adult moths are active nocturnal fliers and are sensitive to changes in light. In addition, female P.interpunctella mainly oviposit during dark periods and therefore any change in the diel rhythm and/or light intensity during scotophase would adversely affect their ovipositional response. Therefore, the objectives of our ongoing study were to 1. evaluate the effect of green, ultraviolet, and white lights on attraction and spatial distribution of P. interpunctella based on sex and mating status, 2. study the combinatorial attractiveness of sex pheromone and light to P. interpunctella males, and 3. study the oviposition response of female P. interpunctella to reduced light levels during scotophase. The studies were conducted in metal sheds (3.0 m x 2.3 m x 1.7 m) at the Stored Product Research and Extension Center (SPREC) in Stillwater, OK. Preliminary observations suggest that spatial distribution of P. interpunctella can be affected by focusing light on one side of the metal shed. Moths preferred to distribute themselves on the side of the metal shed illuminated by either of the three light sources. Oviposition experiments support the published reports that P. interpunctella females require a photoperiod to realize maximum fecundity. Furthermore, there seems to be a threshold for scotophase light intensity above which P. interpunctella oviposition is inhibited.


Species 1: Lepidoptera Pyralidae Plodia interpunctella (Indianmeal moth)