DEVELOPMENT OF SEX PHEROMONE-BAITED TRAPS FOR MONITORING CAMPYLOMMA-VERBASCI (HETEROPTERA, MIRIDAE)

Effects of commercially available pheromone blends and release rates, dispenser type, and trap design on catches of male mullein bugs, Campy lomma verbasci (Meyer), in pheromone-baited traps were investigated. I n the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, a 16:1 blend of butyl butyr ate (BB) and 2(E)-crotyl butyrate (CB) had the highest mean trap catch combined with lowest coefficient of variation. Comparable results fro m Nova Scotia suggest that trapping technology developed in British Co lumbia can be applied throughout the east-west range of C. verbasci in Canada. Further tests in British Columbia showed that a 16:1 blend of BB and CB captured a high number of male C. verbasci when released at rates from 0.8 to 2.8 mg/d (as measured at 25-degrees-C), and a rate of 5 mg/d caught the lowest number of males. A release rate of 0.2 mg/ d should be sufficiently attractive for use in a pheromone-based monit oring program, Wing traps fitted with 3-cm-long drinking-straw spacers between the trap top and bottom captured more male C. verbasci, and h ad a lower coefficient of variation, than wing traps without spacers. A recently developed polymer release device was found to be effective for use in a monitoring program for C. verbasci.