Influence of visual cues and isothiocyanate lures on capture of the pollenbeetle, Meligethes aeneus in field traps

The effect of trap design, trap color, and isothiocyanate (NCS) lures on th e capture of the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus, was studied in field exp eriments. Unbaited yellow water and adhesive traps were equally attractive. A small sticky card trap with a yellow upper face, mounted at 45 degrees t o the vertical, was attractive throughout the year, but horizontal yellow c ards were attractive only in spring, and vertical cards only in autumn. Yel low-green and white water traps were less attractive than yellow, while gra ss green, cream, and black were unattractive. M. aeneus was attracted equal ly to four alkanyl, three alkenyl, and to 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate lure s, when the release rates were in the range of 5-30 mg/day. Attraction to t he most effective unbaited yellow traps was enhanced 1.7-3.3 times with the addition of a lure comprising a mixture of allyl, 3-butenyl, 4-pentenyl, a nd 2-phenylethyl NCS. Interactions were observed among the visual and odor cues. A yellow sticky card trap, baited with 2-phenylethyl NCS and mounted at 45 degrees to the vertical, may be used throughout the year to monitor M . aeneus.