Trapping alfalfa looper moths (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) with single and double component floral chemical lures

Both sexes of the alfalfa looper moth, Autographa californica (Speyer), wer e captured in traps baited with chemicals and combinations of chemicals tha t are odorants from "moth-visited" flowers. When presented alone, phenylace taldehyde was strongly attractive and benzyl acetate was more weakly attrac tive to alfalfa looper moths, Few alfalfa looper moths were captured in tra ps baited with cis-jasmone, linalool, phenethyl alcohol, benzyl acetate or benzyl alcohol. In a comparison of varied amounts of phenylacetaldehyde, ac complished by varying the diameter of the hole in the lid of vial dispenser s, greatest captures of alfalfa looper moths occurred With the largest hole size tested, 6.3 mm in diameter. Catches of alfalfa looper moths were enha nced when phenylacetaldehyde was presented with cis-jasmone and when benzyl acetate was presented along With benzaldehyde, compared with these chemica ls presented singly.