Attraction of Maladera matrida (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) to Eugenol and Other Lures

Attraction of the scarab beetle Maladera matrida Argaman to lures was evaluated in peanut fields in the northwestern Negev Desert in Israel. Japanese beetle traps (Attack, Ringer, Minneapolis, MN) were baited with eugenol, 2-phenethyl propionate (PEP), geraniol, lavender oil, or Japonilure alone and in combination with two parts eugenol. Eugenol was the best attractant for both sexes. Males were not attracted to Japonilure. The attraction of eugenol did not improve by combining it With any of the other lures. In testing the attractant, of various dispensers, results from the synthetic sponge (of the Attack trap) loaded with :3 g eugenol were not significantly different from those from a pair of rubber septa loaded with only 500 mg eugenol. In the hot and dry Negev region, reduction in attractancy of baits was 40, 70, and 90% after 3, 7, and 14 d, respectively. When the insecticide methamidophos (Tamaron, at 20 ppm) was mixed with an equal amount of eugenol, its repellency overrode the attraction of the lure.