SEX-PHEROMONE TRAPS FOR MONITORING THE CODLING MOTH - EFFECT OF DISPENSER TYPE, FIELD AGING OF DISPENSER, PHEROMONE DOSE AND TYPE OF TRAP ON MALE CAPTURES

The effects of dispenser type, dispenser aging in the field, pheromone dose in the dispenser and trap type on trapping efficiency of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), males were investigated in Israel. An Isr aeli-manufactured rubber septum was significantly better than the CM P herocon cap in attracting males to a Pherocon IC cap trap or an IFS tr ap. The effect of aging of the dispenser in the held on trapping effic iency was significant in CM Pherocon caps and the Israeli septa. Captu res in traps were negatively correlated with aging of septa. The effec t of aging of dispensers was more marked during summer than during spr ing. The fairly rapid loss of attractancy indicates that the lures sho uld be replaced after 2 weeks at the most. The release rate of the phe romone from the dispensers was measured in a how system. The emission from the Israeli septa and Pherocon caps decreased sharply after 2 wee ks and then was almost constant, which explains the lower attractancy of aged septa. However, there was a marked difference in the release p rofiles of the pheromone from the two types of dispensers, which may e xplain the different performance of the two dispensers. Within the ran ge of 0.1 to 100 mu g pheromone per dispenser, male response increased positively with the pheromone dose. Pheromone loadings of 100 or 1000 mu g per dispenser did not differ significantly in their attractivene ss for males. A load of 5000 mu g per dispenser was significantly less attractive to males than was 100 or 1000 mu g per dispenser. The non- sticky IFS trap was significantly better in capturing codling moth mal es than was the sticky, commonly used Pherocon 1C trap, provided it wa s baited with the Israeli dispenser. The two traps were equally effect ive when baited with the CM Pherocon caps. The possibility of using th e non-sticky, nonsaturating and easy-to-handle IFS traps for monitorin g codling moth is of great importance.