FACTORS AFFECTING THE TRAPPING OF MALES OF SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) WITH PHEROMONES IN MEXICO

Abstract Four commercial sex pheromones and virgin females were tested as attractants for male fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda with Scentry Heliothis traps in sorghum fields in Chiapas, Mexico. We observed significant differences among the lures tested. Pherotech, virgin females, and Scentry lures elicited different responses from Chemtica and Trece lures. In another experiment performed in Michoacan, Mexico, we found that Scentry Heliothis traps baited with Chemtica lures placed at 1.5 m above ground caught significantly more males than traps placed at a height of 2 m. In contrast, the capture of S. frugiperda males with bucket traps placed at 1 m height was not significantly different from that of traps placed at 1.5 and 2 m height. When baited with pheromone, Scentry Heliothis traps caught more non-target insects than bucket traps. Apidae was the most prevalent family of non-target insects caught in both experiments.