Effect of pheromone blends, trap type and color on the capture of male clearwing moths, Synanthedon bicingulata (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae)

Two components of the Synanthedon bicingulata sex pheromone, (E,Z)-3,13-octadecadienyl acetate (E3,Z13-18:OAc) and (Z,Z)-3,13-octadecadienyl acetate (Z3,Z13-18:OAc), were synthesized to investigate the effect of pheromone blends, trap type and trap color on the capture of S. bicingulata males. The optimal sex pheromone ratio for E3,Z13-18:OAc and Z3,Z13-18:OAc was approximately 4.3:5.7 based on the purity of the two pheromone components in all test areas. A significant difference was observed in the number of S. bicingulata adult males caught in bucket and delta traps. The mean numbers of males caught in bucket and delta traps were 13.2 ± 2.2 and 7.6 ± 2.0, respectively. Trap color affected the number of adult males caught in bucket traps. More adult males were attracted to a yellow bucket trap than to green, white, blue, black and red traps. An analysis of the relationship between trap capture and trap surface-color values (L*a*b*) revealed a positive relationship between trap capture and b* value.