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Pheromone traps for lepidopteran monitoring

Pheromone traps are species-specific monitoring devices that use synthetic female sex-pheromone lures inside funnel, delta or water-pan traps to attract and capture male moths of target lepidopteran pests. Their principal function is early-warning monitoring against economic threshold levels, with supplementary mass trapping feasible at higher densities.

Principle

Female moths of most lepidopteran species emit species-specific sex pheromones that males detect at extraordinarily low concentrations. Synthetic analogues of these pheromones, packaged in rubber septa lures, are placed inside trap bodies whose design favours capture rather than escape. Trap counts over time index male flight activity, which closely tracks egg-laying pressure. Monitoring lets growers time insecticide applications to economic threshold levels rather than calendar dates.

Implementation

Standard target species are Helicoverpa armigera (gram and tomato fruit borer), Spodoptera litura and S. frugiperda (armyworms), Pectinophora gossypiella (pink bollworm) and Leucinodes orbonalis (brinjal shoot-and-fruit borer). Trap types include funnel traps for Spodoptera, delta sticky traps for pink bollworm, and water-pan traps for Helicoverpa. Lures are species-specific and must be replaced every 4-6 weeks. Recommended trap density for monitoring is 4-5 per acre; mass trapping uses 15-25 per acre.

Adoption context

Pheromone traps are core components of cotton IPM, vegetable IPM and pulse-crop IPM packages disseminated by ICAR-NCIPM and state agriculture departments. They underpin pink bollworm monitoring in cotton across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, fall armyworm tracking in maize since the 2018 invasion, and Spodoptera management in groundnut.

Limitations

Traps capture only males; female catches are absent. Lure shelf life under field conditions is shorter than packaged shelf life. Wind direction and trap height affect catch rates and require careful placement. Mass trapping alone rarely controls high-density infestations and must be combined with other tactics.

See also Ipm Chilli Spray Schedule, Ipm Vegetables, Yellow Blue Sticky Traps, Solar Light Traps and Groundnut Foliar Spray Schedule.

References

  1. Use of Insect Pheromones in Vegetable Pest Management. Springer chapter.
  2. Pheromone-Based Techniques in Sustainable Pest Management. IntechOpen.