Effect of ethyl acetate and trap colour on weevil captures in red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) pheromone traps.

摘要

Trapping of adult red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier using food-baited pheromone traps is a major component of the integrated pest management strategy currently adopted against the RPW in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Field trials were carried out in RPW-infested date plantations of Al-Rahba, Abu Dhabi, UAE from January to December 2010 to ascertain the combined influence of ethyl acetate (EA) and trap colours on weevil captures in RPW pheromone traps. Weevil captures were recorded throughout the experimental period with a sex ratio (male:female) of 1:2.2 and capture rates of 25.13 and 15.14 weevils/trap/month in traps with and without EA, respectively. Furthermore, treatments with black-coloured traps recorded significantly higher weevil captures.