Seasonal distribution and sex ratio of eleven noctuid species (Insecta, Lepidoptera) captured in blacklight traps on Terceira Island (Azores)

摘要

The adult flight periods of Agrotis segetum (DENNIS & SCHIFFERMÜLLER), Noctua pronuba (LINNAEUS), Noctua atlantica (WARREN),Peridroma saucia (HÜBNER), Xestia c-nigrum (LINNAEUS), Mythimna loreyi (DUPONCHEL), Phlogophora meticulosa (LINNAEUS), Phlogophora interrupta(WARREN), Mesapamea storai (REBEL), Autographa gamma (LINNAEUS), and Trichoplusia orichalcea (FABRICIUS) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were studied betweenNovember 1992 and November 1993, at Terra Chã (110 m), Granja (310 m), Fajãs(310 m) and Santa Bárbara (525 m) on the island of Terceira, Azores archipelago,using Pennsylvania blacklight traps. While there was evidence of considerablefluctuations in abundance, A. segetum, P. saucia, X. c-nigrum, M. loreyi and P.meticulosa were present continuously at Santa Bárbara. In contrast N. pronuba, N.atlantica, M. storai, P. interrupta, A. gamma, and T. orichalcea were generally captured from Spring to beginning of Autumn. For any given species both sexes were captured simultaneously. Males of X. c-nigrum, P. meticulosa (Santa Bárbara), A. segetum and M. storai (Fajãs) were more frequent than females, while in the other species females were more abundant. However, in no case does the sex ratio deviates entirely from 1:1. Under an integrated pest management perspective, blacklight trap is an important technique for agricultural warning services, allowing to forecast the outbreaks of agricultural pests.