COMPARATIVE-STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF NUTRIENT-BASED PHAGOSTIMULANTS ON 6 LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECT PESTS

The effects of five commercial, nutrient-based phagostimulants-Pheast (AgriSense), Coax (CCT), Gusto (Atochem North America), Entice (Custom Chemicides), and Mo-Bait (Loveland Industries)-on the feeding behavio r of six lepidopteran insect species were compared. The species were g ypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lymantriidae); com earworm, Helicove rpa (Heliothis) zea (Boddie); fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith); beet armyworm, S. exigua (Hubner) (Noctuidae); European co m borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner) (Pyralidae); and diamondback moth , Plutella xylostella (L.) (Plutellidae). Consumption of cellulose-aga r media containing phagostimulants and of leaf disks treated with phag ostimulants was measured. Comparisons of responses of larvae in terms of attraction and arrestancy were made with untreated filter paper or filter paper treated with phagostimulant. Large differences in consump tion between phagostimulants were found when we used cellulose-agar me dia. However, differences in consumption were smaller when plant mater ial was used as a substrate, especially in choice (treated versus cont rol) tests. The four phagostimulants that contained high percentages o f protein generally elicited stronger responses than the phagostimulan t containing primarily sugars (Mo-Bait). Overall, Pheast tended to eli cit the greatest response; Mo-Bait, elicited the least. Some attractan cy and arrestancy were noted, except with L. dispar, but no difference s between phagostimulants were found. The methods used here for the co mparative evaluation of phagostimulants should be useful in developing practical applications of feeding stimulants to increase the efficacy of microbial and other insect control agents under practical field co nditions.