What is the best way to absorb insects and pests? Light or chemical pheromone
Hello Jamshid:
There are many kinds of baits to attract insects depending on which kind of species do you want to work:
For nocturnal insects ultraviolet light traps are very useful. Likewise, mercury light and even led light lamps even attract many kinds of insects.
Synthetic pheromones are specific for attracting male Lepidoptera and coleoptera and are useful for studies of population dynamics or as pest control measures to lower populations in agricultural crops.
The use of baits based on eugenol and other terpenes serve to attract mainly euglossine bees and scolitid beetles.
Traps baited with alcohol and methanol are useful to attract diptera, coleoptera, hemipterans and other insect orders.
Hydrolyzed protein impregnated with molasses serves to attract fruit flies (Tephritidae and Drosophilidae)
Fermented fruits (banana, pineapple, mango) serve to attract butterflies, coleoptera and diptera.
Baited traps with rotten fish and excrement are very useful to attract coprophagous and necrophagous flies, beetles and butterflies.
As you can see there are many kinds of baits to attract different kinds of insects
Pheromone is more attract then light but also depends on species of insects
If you mean 'how to attract', then you can find tons of information searching on web. Attached file would be good source for you. https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/29187/insectattractant1297wein.pdf?sequence=1
Mostly pheromone traps are best option as they are more target-specific. However, light traps and even yellow sticky traps also work well but depends on pest species and why you want to trap them.
Your question should be re-phrased in a more specific manner.
For example, if the question is: what is the best way to attract moths ?
Then, "pheromone" is a sensible answer.
If the question is: what is the best way to attract adult codling moths ?
Then, "codling moth pheromone" is the answer.
Hello Jamshid:
There are many kinds of baits to attract insects depending on which kind of species do you want to work:
For nocturnal insects ultraviolet light traps are very useful. Likewise, mercury light and even led light lamps even attract many kinds of insects.
Synthetic pheromones are specific for attracting male Lepidoptera and coleoptera and are useful for studies of population dynamics or as pest control measures to lower populations in agricultural crops.
The use of baits based on eugenol and other terpenes serve to attract mainly euglossine bees and scolitid beetles.
Traps baited with alcohol and methanol are useful to attract diptera, coleoptera, hemipterans and other insect orders.
Hydrolyzed protein impregnated with molasses serves to attract fruit flies (Tephritidae and Drosophilidae)
Fermented fruits (banana, pineapple, mango) serve to attract butterflies, coleoptera and diptera.
Baited traps with rotten fish and excrement are very useful to attract coprophagous and necrophagous flies, beetles and butterflies.
As you can see there are many kinds of baits to attract different kinds of insects
Dear Jamshid;
It seems you mean lepidopteran pests. Pheromones are more selective than light traps, but depends on its availability to the species you are dealing. Light traps depend on a dark area without the interference of other light sources, including a bright moon. And light traps attract many species of moths.
pheromone is working well however for some species of insects light is also working.
Light is good for nocturnal insects and attracked more number of insect then pheromones
But overall attractions depend type of insect species
If you want to attract a specific species of insects; Because pheromones are specialized, they performance better, but if you generally want to attract insects, light traps are more appropriate.
It depends on many things. :1. you can attract some insect by using sex or aggregation pheromone alone but for other species maybe pheromone + kairomone is attractant 2.Trap type and its color 3.The location and height of the trap installation 4. ....
Hi Jamshid,
Actually, selecting the best way depends on the insect species and your purpose and you can also get the alive or dead insect based on the trap kind
for ants I use:
1- white rice grains and sesame seeds for granivorous species
2- peanut butter / jam /honey for granivorous and herbivorous species
3- non fresh canned tuna for carnivorous species
It's is mainly depends on the behavior of insect species. For Eg: Nocturnal insects can be attracted towards light during night and Incase of pheromones you can attract many group of insects, because almost 50 to 60% of species specific lures started commercialising recent days.
I suggest pheromones far better than light..
But, both having pros and cons.
I.e.
Pheromones are costly.
Light traps working only in night.
Etc...
depends upon what kind of insects they are but according to my opinion mostly attract via chemical pheromones.
Ultra violet light traps are used to attract a diverse number of insect orders. We used it to study or survey certain areas. But it depends on which insects you are studying.
It is the use of sex pheromone traps if the species has sex pheromone. Allomones and kairomones are also useful as monitoring tool and mass trapping for controlling the insect pest.Food lures can also be used .Salam and best regards .
It all depends on the type of insect you want to work with. Pheromones are very important in attracting insect with sex pheromones. There are many other ways, like i said it is the insect in question that determines the type of attractants.
However, only male insects are attracted to sex pheromones. If you want to attract both sexes; aggregating pheromones, plant volatile ( of major hosts) or light traps (depending on the behavior of the species you are working on) can be used.
Light attracts nocturnal insects and moths. Most pheromones on the market are female pheromones that attract male insects. Some aggregation pheromones are attracting male and female insects. Some plants are also attracting insects: Pennisetum purpureum attracts the moth Spodoptera, Melinis multiflora attracts insect and Solanum tuberusum attracts the Colorado beetles and many other plants attract pollinating insects by means of their colours and the smell of their nectar….
It's depends on species of insects but Phermones traps is more attractive then light traps
Traps in general are good tools for attracting insects.The species of the insect is an important factor to determine the type of trap which we need to use . sex pheromone trap is very useful for insects having that pheromone. Moths are easily can be attracted to light traps .Best regards .
I agree with Luis Miguel Constantino and Sujan Dawadi answers, thanks.
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