EFFECT OF SEX, AGE AND MATING ON ATTRACTION OF CADRA-CAUTELLA (WALKER) (LEP, PHYCITIDAE) TO STORED FOOD

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.