USE OF ADHESIVE PHEROMONE TRAPS FOR THE DETECTION AND SURVEILLANCE OF STORAGE MOTHS (PHYCITINAE) IN A CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Adhesive traps baited with 50 μg of (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-yl acetate (TDA) were found convenient in order to detect and survey moth infestations in a chocolate factory. During a 1 year-experiment 309, 200 and 159 phycitid moths were caught in the silo, the selection and the storage room, respectively. A population of 3 species with Cadra cautella (Walker) dominating in the silo and Ephestia elutella (Hübner) dominating in the selection room was discovered, whereas a single species, viz. Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), was found in the storage room. Males of E. elutella and P. interpunctella were attracted by TDA traps at a higher rate than the males of C. cautella. The majority of male E. elutella and P. interpunctella landed in the vicinity of the pheromone capsule on the trap surface, while most of the male C. cautella were found distributed over a relatively large area of the pheromone trap surface. When compared with the number of males caught on control traps, pheromone traps captured 1.7 times more C. cautella, 5.6 times more P. interpunctella and at least 16 times more E. elutella in the silo, twice more C. cautella, 31 times more P. interpunctella and 53.6 times more E. elutella in the selection room as well as 11.2 times more P. interpunctella in the storage room. The females of the above species were observed in similar numbers on pheromone and control traps. Curves based on weekly moth captures by pheromone traps can reflect start, peak and termination of the flight period as well as the fluctuations in moth catches following (in)effective control measures. Capture curves can be employed also for selecting the suitable time for control measures as well as for checking the results of such treatments. © 1979 Verlag Paul Parey.