USE OF TRAPS BAITED WITH VIRGIN FEMALES FOR FIELD OBSERVATIONS ON THE BERTHA ARMYWORM (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)

Abstract

Cylindrical traps with screen cones at the ends baited with virgin females and placed in rape fields about 1 m above ground level were effective in trapping males of the bertha armyworm. Males were most active between 0330 and 0430 h M.D.T. and moved precisely to confined females. Virgin females became attractive 1 day after emergence and remained attractive for at least 7 days. Trapping was an effective method for rapidly determining the presence of bertha armyworm.