Flight Activity Periods of the Sugarcane Borer, Diatraea saccharalis, in Puerto Rico

Abstract

1. Four all-night observations of sugarcane borer moth flight activity using can traps baited with female moths and black Hght traps were made in an infested sugarcane field. 2. Male moths were trapped from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m. with indications of both an early and later flight peak. Thus the Puerto Rican population differs in flight behavior from the same species in Louisiana. 3. Black light traps collected female sugarcane borer moths only on dark nights with little or no moonlight, while male moths were taken by the same traps in greater numbers on bright nights. The baited can traps were equally effective on dark or bright nights. 4. In the light traps the timing of female moth captures was different from the male captures, and showed a single flight peak early in the night. 5. Present experience on the method of construction and baiting of can traps and light traps, and the location of these traps in the field indicates that further improvements are needed before a highly efficient and reliable survey method for Puerto Rican populations of the sugarcane borer moths is achieved.