<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Pheromone traps have been widely used for monitoring insect pests in tobacco factories and warehouses. Generally, these traps are placed 10-20 m apart, although a precise scientific rationale for this practice is not available. We examined the effect of trap density on the recovery and localization of tobacco moths released in a 42.3 × 36.5 × 4.0 m tobacco warehouse compartment (1540 m2). In single-trap experiments (0.06 traps/100m2), 15-51% (33% on average) of the released male moths were captured. The capture ratio was not correlated with the distance between the trap and the release point; the highest catch rate was attained when a trap was placed at the most distant position: 47 m from the release point. Capture data from experiments using groups of 4-23 traps revealed that the highest catch rates were always attained by the trap nearest the release point when more than eight traps (0.5 traps/100 m2) were set. These results indicate that the number of traps required for monitoring purposes should be changed - one trap is sufficient for detecting the presence or absence of infestation in a 1540 m2 warehouse compartment (0.06 traps/100 m2); more than eight traps (0.5 traps/100 m2) should be set for localization, allowing the location of the infestation to be inferred from the trap with the highest catch rate.</abstract>

Pheromone traps have been widely used for monitoring insect pests in tobacco factories and warehouses. Generally, these traps are placed 10-20 m apart, although a precise scientific rationale for this practice is not available. We examined the effect of trap density on the recovery and localization of tobacco moths released in a 42.3 × 36.5 × 4.0 m tobacco warehouse compartment (1540 m2). In single-trap experiments (0.06 traps/100m2), 15-51% (33% on average) of the released male moths were captured. The capture ratio was not correlated with the distance between the trap and the release point; the highest catch rate was attained when a trap was placed at the most distant position: 47 m from the release point. Capture data from experiments using groups of 4-23 traps revealed that the highest catch rates were always attained by the trap nearest the release point when more than eight traps (0.5 traps/100 m2) were set. These results indicate that the number of traps required for monitoring purposes should be changed - one trap is sufficient for detecting the presence or absence of infestation in a 1540 m2 warehouse compartment (0.06 traps/100 m2); more than eight traps (0.5 traps/100 m2) should be set for localization, allowing the location of the infestation to be inferred from the trap with the highest catch rate.

Optimal Spacing of Pheromone Traps for Monitoring the Tobacco Moth, Ephestiaelutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Phyralidae), in Tobacco Warehouses

Leaf Tobacco Research Center, Japan Tobacco Inc., Oyama, Tochigi 323-0808, Japan

Contributions to Tobacco & Nicotine Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Pheromone traps have been widely used for monitoring insect pests in tobacco factories and warehouses. Generally, these traps are placed 10-20 m apart,...

Optimal Spacing of Pheromone Traps for Monitoring the Tobacco Moth, Ephestiaelutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Phyralidae), in Tobacco Warehouses

Published Online: Dec 30, 2014

Page range: 289 - 292

Received: Jan 30, 2011

Accepted: Jul 15, 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/cttr-2013-0909

© 2011 Beiträge zur Tabakforschung International

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.