ATTRACTION OF TOBACCO BUDWORM MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE) TO JAGGERY, A PALM SUGAR EXTRACT

Male tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens Fab., moths released into a field cage were recaptured in traps baited with aged 10% jaggery, a pa lm sugar extract. Both male and female tobacco budworm moths were attr acted to aged 10% jaggery in a flight tunnel, exhibiting oriented flig hts ending in contact with the bait. Although the bait was initially n ot attractive either to females in a flight tunnel or to males in a fi eld cage, it subsequently became attractive after one week and increas ed in attractiveness for up to 24 days after it was made.