Field evaluation of a pheromone lure and trap designs for monitoring Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Abstract Lygus hesperus is an economically important pest of many crops. An effective monitoring method for the early detection of L. hesperus could improve its management. A recently developed pheromone lure has been shown to attract L. hesperus males, however, fewer males were captured than expected. It is unknown whether this was an effect of pheromone responsiveness or the type of trap used. Thus, we compared the efficacy of the previously used white delta sticky traps to red cylindrical sticky traps in strawberry fields in California and cotton fields in Arizona. Collections were made 1 and 2 weeks after trap deployment. In strawberry, pheromone baited traps captured more L. hesperus males than unbaited traps. More males were collected from baited red cylindrical sticky traps compared with either type of unbaited trap. In cotton, baited red cylindrical traps captured more males than unbaited traps after 1 week of field exposure, but not after 2 weeks of deployment. Overall, red cylindrical traps caught more L. hesperus males than white delta traps. Diminished trap captures during the second week of monitoring may be attributed to high temperatures in cotton that likely shortened the lure’s longevity and windy conditions in both strawberry and cotton that may have decreased the effectiveness of the trap’s adhesive. Additional work to clarify the lure’s field longevity and distinguish various elements of trap design (e.g. colour, adhesive, and shape) may further increase the operational effectiveness of pheromone-baited traps for L. hesperus .