Effect of lures and colors on capture of lady beetles (coleoptera: coccinellidae) in tedders pyramidal traps

Authors: Kemp, Emily; Cottrell, Ted

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/17/2015
Publication Date: 7/17/2015
Citation: Kemp, E.A., Cottrell, T.E. 2015. Effect of lures and colors on capture of lady beetles (coleoptera: coccinellidae) in tedders pyramidal traps. Environmental Entomology. 44(5):1395-1406.

Interpretive Summary: In this study, we field-tested 1) lures in yellow and black pyramidal traps and 2) pyramidal traps that had been painted one or two colors (without lures) to determine if lures or trap color affected capture of adult lady beetles. Generally, lures did not affect capture of adult lady beetles in traps. Yellow traps, regardless of using a lure, always captured significantly more lady beetles than black traps. When red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black and white traps (without lures) were tested most adult lady beetles were captured in yellow traps. Of all lady beetle species captured in these single-color traps, 95% were exotic species: the multicolored Asian lady beetle and the seven spotted lady beetle. The multicolored Asian lady beetle alone dominated trap capture comprising 74.1 % of all lady beetles. Two-color traps (yellow/green, yellow/orange, yellow/white and yellow/black) never captured more than single-color yellow traps. These results demonstrate that yellow pyramidal traps can be used to attract, and when used without a collection device, possibly aggregate adult Coccinellidae at targeted field sites.

Technical Abstract: Purposeful attraction and/or aggregation of adult Coccinellidae at target sites would be useful for sampling purposes and/or pest suppression. We field-tested 1) lures in yellow and black pyramidal traps and 2) pyramidal traps that had been painted one or two colors (without lures) to determine if lures or trap color affected capture of adult Coccinellidae. In only one experiment with lures did a single rate of limonene increase trap capture; whereas, no other lure ever did. Yellow traps, regardless of using a lure, always captured significantly more lady beetles than black traps. When single-color red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black and white traps (without lures) were tested, yellow traps captured significantly more lady beetles. Of all species of Coccinellidae captured in these single-color traps, 95% were the exotic species Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) and Coccinella septempunctata L. Harmonia axyridis alone dominated trap capture comprising 74.1 % of all lady beetles. Two-color traps (yellow/green, yellow/orange, yellow/white and yellow/black) never captured more than single-color yellow traps. These results demonstrate that yellow pyramidal traps can be used to purposefully attract, and when used without a collection device, possibly aggregate adult Coccinellidae at targeted field sites.