Douglas-fir pitch moth, Synanthedon novaroensis (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) in North-Central British Columbia: Flight Period and the Effect of Trap Type and Pheromone Dosage on Trap Catches

Abstract The synthetic pheromone (Z,Z)-3,13-octadecadien-1-yl acetate was tested in two trap types and at different loads for trapping the Douglas-fir pitch moth, Synanthedon novaroensis (Henry Edwards) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), in a lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon variety latifolia Engelmann, provenance trial at the Prince George Tree Improvement Station, Prince George, British Columbia. This moth causes considerable problems in lodgepole pine seed orchards at this location. No significant differences in trap catches were found between wing traps and Unitraps in two experiments. There were no significant differences between catches in Unitraps baited with 50, 100, or 200 μg of the pheromone loaded on red rubber septa. In a second experiment, Unitraps baited with four rubber septa, each loaded with 200 μg for a total load of 800 μg, captured significantly more Douglas-fir pitch moths than those baited with one septum (200 μg) or two septa (400 μg) of the pheromone. All pheromone loads caug...