FEEDING-BEHAVIOR OF BLACK CUTWORMS LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE ON SEEDLING CORN AND ORGANIC BAITS IN THE GREENHOUSE

Under greenhouse conditions, late-instar black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), larvae cut significantly more seedling corn plants and fed on more baits under dark conditions than in light. Feeding behavior followed closely the daily solar cycle except when the larvae were kept under dark conditions for 24 h. In the absence of baits, 5th instars fed significantly more often on corn seedlings than did either 4th or 6th instars. Fifth and 6th instars cut more than twice as many plants when baits were absent than when baits were present. Highly significant differences occurred between the numbers of larvae recorded feeding in different baits and apple-grape, grape and bran pellets were the most attractive of all materials tested. Wet bait was preferred to dry, but there were no significant differences between wet and dry soil conditions.