Fermented or Floral? Developing a Generalized Food Bait Lure to Monitor Cutworm and Armyworm Moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Field Crops

Abstract

Cutworms and armyworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are a pest complex in North America that cause sporadic damage in field crops on the Canadian Prairies; however, no methods have been developed to reliably monitor population densities. Food-based semiochemicals attract both sexes of adult moths and could be used to monitor multiple species with a single lure in a single trap. Here, we focus on enhancing the attractiveness of acetic acid and 3-methyl-1-butanol (AAMB) lures to redbacked cutworm (Euxoa ochrogaster) (RBC) and other noctuid pests. Experiments conducted in canola and wheat fields tested AAMB lures at different release rates, from different devices and in combination with other semiochemicals. High-release lures captured more females in canola, while low-release lures captured more males in wheat. Thus, crop volatiles may influence response to lures. Semiochemicals embedded in an inert matrix caught more RBC moths than semiochemicals released from Nalgene or polyethylene dispensers did. More RBC females were attracted to AAMB lures with 2-methyl-1-propanol than phenylacetaldehyde. Fermented volatiles appear to be a more reliable attractant than floral volatiles for these species. RBC moth antennae produced significant responses to all doses of phenylacetaldehyde tested in electroantennogram assays, but only to higher doses of acetic acid and 3-methyl-1-butanol. Physiological state of the RBC moths also influenced responsiveness to the tested semiochemical. Feeding status did not influence the antennal response to acetic acid and phenylacetaldehyde in either sex, but it increased the response to 3-methyl-1-butanol in females when fed. AAMB lures should be further developed to monitor RBC moths and other noctuid pests in field crops.

Colonization of chickens with competitive exclusion products results in extensive differences in metabolite composition in cecal digesta

“…Finally, there were 2 compounds, 4-oxododecanedioic acid dominating in the digesta of experimental chickens and phenylacetaldehyde dominating in control chickens, both having a relationship to insects. Phenylacetaldehyde is common in flowers where it acts as an insect attractant ( Batallas and Evenden, 2023 ). Microbiota composition affecting phenylacetaldehyde levels in the digesta and fecal material can therefore affect transmission of gut microbiota by insects.…”

Use of semiochemical-baited traps to monitor the range expansion of the invasive Sitona lineatus (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) and the presence of associated ground beetles

“…The addition of host bean volatile increased attractiveness in 2015, supporting conclusions drawn by Evenden et al (2016) and St. Onge et al (2018); however, this trend was not observed in 2016. In addition to the semiochemical blend used in lures, lure type and dose can affect the number of insects captured in traps (Jansson et al 1993; Byers 2013; Luo et al 2020; Ebbenga et al 2022; Batallas and Evenden 2023). Surprisingly, pheromone dose (10 mg versus 21 mg) and lure type (septa versus microcentrifuge tube, respectively) had no effect on the abundance of S. lineatus captured in 2016.…”

Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in Integrated Pest Management Strategies

“…Moreover, pheromone-based monitoring programs require individual traps and specific lures for each species, making monitoring several pests costly and time time-consuming. Batallas and Evenden [9] explored the development of a foodbased semiochemical lure to monitor both sexes of the cutworm and armyworm pest complex with a single trap and lure and with a minimum impact on native pollinators. Field experiments were conducted in canola and wheat fields in the Canadian Prairies to evaluate the activity of the AAMB lure (mixture of acetic acid and 3-methyl-1-butanol).…”