Trapping Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Adults in Traps Baited with Pheromone and a Synthetic Floral Volatile Compound

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the floral compound phenylacetaldehyde in increasing capture of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda , males in pheromone-baited traps. Plastic Unitraps were placed in cotton and corn fields in north-central Florida and were baited with commercial sex pheromone and synthetic phenylacetaldehyde released from hollow polyethylene stoppers and glass microcapillary pipets. Addition of phenylacetaldehyde as a lure was not effective in collecting more moths and actually reduced numbers of moths captured compared to pheromone-baited traps. Nontarget Hymenoptera were also collected in traps; more Sphecoidea were found in phenylacetaldehydebaited traps compared to pheromone-baited traps. Experimentos de campo fueron llevados a cabo para determinar la efectividad del compuesto floral fenilacetaldehido en incrementar la captura de machos del gusano de otono Spodoptera frugiperda , en trampas con carnada de feromona. Trampas de plastico “Unitraps” fueron colocadas en campos de maiz y algodon en regiones del centro-norte de Florida y se les preparo con feromona de sexo comercial y fenilacetaldehido sintetico soltados de tapones huecos de polietileno y de pipetas microcapilarias de cristal. La adicion de fenilacetaldehido como atrayente no fue efectivo en la coleccion de mas polillas y en realidad redujo el numero de polillas capturadas en comparacion con trampas con senuelo de feromona. Himenoptera en general tambien fueron colectadas en trampas; mas Sphecoidea fueron encontradas en trampas con fenilacetaldehido comparadas con trampas de feromona.