A Comparison of Pheromone and Blacklight Traps for Attracting Sugarcane Borer (Diatraea saccharalis (F.)) Adults from a Natural Population

Abstract

Comparison of traps baited with: (a) virgin females (pheromone), (b) blacklight lamps plus females entrapped from the natural population, and (c) virgin females (pheromone) and blackhght lamps plus females entrapped from the natural population, indicated no significant difference between the traps containing blacklight lamps plus females entrapped from the natural population and those traps containing blacklight lamps plus virgin females in catches of Diatraea saccharalis (F.) males from the natural population. Both types of traps, however, caught significantly more males than traps baited only with virgin females. Most of the female moths trapped were less than 2 days old and most had mated only once. The sex ratio of moths trapped was 1 female: 9.8 males.