S. Gothilf et al., EFFECT OF SEX, AGE AND MATING ON ATTRACTION OF CADRA-CAUTELLA (WALKER) (LEP, PHYCITIDAE) TO STORED FOOD, Journal of applied entomology, 116(2), 1993, pp. 139-144
Survival and attraction of virgin and mated male and female almond mot
hs, Cadra cautella (Walker), to wheat grain in traps was tested during
their life span in the laboratory at 25 +/- 1-degrees-C, 65 +/- 5 % R
. H. The life span of virgin females was longer than of mated females
with 50 % survival of 15 vs. 8.5 days respectively. Similarly, virgin
males also lived longer than mated males with 50 % survival of 9.5 vs.
6.5 days respectively. Catch of mated females in traps baited with wh
eat was low on the first and second day of life and even less so in vi
rgin females; thereafter daily catches increased and ranged around 45
% in both mated and virgin females until the time of 50 % survival. Af
ter that age, catches decreased in both cases. Attraction of either ma
ted or unmated males to wheat grain was negligible. Two-choice tests w
ere conducted using wheat paired with one of eight different foods: al
mond, peanut, walnut, com, soybean, date, fig, and raisin. Except for
fig and raisin which were less attractive th. wheat, all other foods t
ested were equally attractive. The behavioral results obtained in this
study are of importance in planning control and monitoring systems fo
r this moth.