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In an initial observation, large numbers of muscoid flies (Diptera) were captured as nontarget insects in traps baited with solutions of acetic acid plus ethanol. In subsequent field experiments, numbers of false stable fly Muscina stabulans (Fallén) and little house fly Fannia canicularis (L.) trapped with the combination of acetic acid plus ethanol were significantly higher than those trapped with either chemical alone, or in unbaited traps. Flies were trapped with acetic acid and ethanol that had been formulated in the water of the drowning solution of the trap, or dispensed from polypropylene vials with holes in the vial lids for diffusion of evaporated chemical. Numbers of both species of fly captured were greater with acetic acid and ethanol in glass McPhail traps, compared to four other similar wet trap designs. This combination of chemicals may be useful as an inexpensive and not unpleasant lure for monitoring or removing these two pest fly species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested lures in Washington and Georgia containing methyl ( E, E, Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate and/or methyl ( E, Z)-2,4-decadienoate for capturing stink bug species (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). In both states, we consistently captured adult females of the digger wasp Astata occidentalis Cresson (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) in traps with lures that contained methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate but not in traps with lures that contained only methyl ( E, Z)-2,4-decadienoate. Astata occidentalis is a predator of pentatomid stink bugs (Hemiptera) and apparently uses methyl ( E, E, Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate as a host-finding kairomone. Methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate is an aggregation pheromone of Plauti stali Scott (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) that is also attractive to, and used for monitoring, the exotic brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Wasps were captured from Jul through Sep with peak response in Aug in Washington. In Georgia, wasp capture was highest as soon as traps were deployed in late May/early Jun, and then capture peaked again during Jul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND A mixture of wine and vinegar is more attractive than wine or vinegar to spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), and ethanol and acetic acid are considered key to that attractiveness. In addition to ethanol and acetic acid, 13 other wine and vinegar volatiles are antennally active to D. suzukii and might be involved in food finding. RESULTS Out of the 13 antennally active chemicals, acetoin, ethyl lactate and methionol increased fly response to a mixture of acetic acid and ethanol in field trapping experiments. A five-component blend of acetic acid, ethanol, acetoin, ethyl lactate and methionol was as attractive as the starting mixture of wine and vinegar in field tests conducted in the states of Oregon and Mississippi. Subtracting ethyl lactate from the five-component blend did not reduce the captures of flies in the trap. However, subtracting any other compound from the blend significantly reduced the numbers of flies captured. CONCLUSION These results indicate that acetic acid, ethanol, acetoin and methionol are key olfactory cues for D. suzukii when attracted to wine and vinegar, which may be food-finding behavior leading flies to fermenting fruit in nature. It is anticipated that this four-component blend can be used as a highly attractive chemical lure for detection and management of D. suzukii. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the attractiveness of a new chemical lure compared with fermented food baits in use for trapping Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, spotted wing drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae), in Connecticut, New York, and Washington in the United States and at Dossenheim in Germany. The chemical lure (SWD lure) and food baits were compared in two types of traps: the dome trap and a cup trap. Regardless of trap type, numbers of male and female D. suzukii trapped were greater with the SWD lure compared with apple cider vinegar (ACV) baits at the Washington and New York sites, and were comparable with numbers of D. suzukii captured with a wine plus vinegar bait (W + V) at Germany site and a combination bait meant to mimic W + V at the Connecticut site. Averaged over both types of attractants, the numbers of D. suzukii captured were greater in dome traps than in cup traps in New York and Connecticut for both male and female D. suzukii and in Washington for male D. suzukii. No such differences were found between trap types at the Washington site for female and Germany for male and female D. suzukii. Assessments were also made of the number of large (>0.5cm) and small (<0.5cm) nontarget flies trapped. The SWD lure captured fewer nontarget small flies and more large flies compared with ACV bait in New York and fewer nontarget small flies compared with W + V in Germany, although no such differences were found in Washington for the SWD lure versus ACV bait and in Connecticut for the SWD lure versus the combination bait, indicating that these effects are likely influenced by the local nontarget insect community active at the time of trapping. In New York, Connecticut, and Germany, dome traps caught more nontarget flies compared with cup traps. Our results suggest that the four-component SWD chemical lure is an effective attractant for D. suzukii and could be used in place of fermented food-type baits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Phenylacetaldehyde is a flower volatile and attractant for many nectar-seeking moths. Acetic acid is a microbial fermentation product that is present in insect sweet baits. It is weakly attractive to some moths and other insects, but can be additive or synergistic with other compounds to make more powerful insect lures. RESULTS: Acetic acid and phenylacetaldehyde presented together in traps made a stronger lure than either chemical alone for moths of the alfalfa looper Autographa californica (Speyer) and the armyworm Spodoptera albula (Walker). However, this combination of chemicals reduced captures of the cabbage looper moth Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), the silver Y moth Autographa gamma (L.), MacDunnoughia confusa (Stephens) and the soybean looper moth Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) by comparison with phenylacetaldehyde alone. CONCLUSION: These results indicate both positive and negative interactions of acetic acid, a sugar fermentation odor cue, and phenylacetaldehyde, a floral scent cue, in eliciting orientation responses of moths. This research provides a new two-component lure for the alfalfa looper A. californica and for the armyworm S. albula for potential use in pest management. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on a study which examined the trapping of the moth Dargida (D.) terrapictalis with the D. diffusa sex attractant in wheat-growing areas of Eastern Washington and Oregon in the U.S. Traps were used in 2009 and 2010 to determine the seasonality of moth activity as indicated by their capture in traps and the presence of wheat head armyworm moths. Given the presumed pest status of D. diffusa in some Oregon and Washington wheat fields, the relatively weak response of D. diffusa to the sex attractant was unexpected. In addition, there are no reports of D. terrapictalis feeding on wheat.

In field tests of floral chemicals dispensed singly, alfalfa looper moths, Autographa californica (Speyer), were captured in traps baited with phenylacetaldehyde, β-myrcene, or benzyl acetate. Cabbage looper moths, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) were also captured in traps baited with phenylacetaldehyde, methyl salicylate, or methyl-2-methoxy benzoate. In evaluations of binary blends of those same compounds, generally more alfalfa looper moths were trapped when β-myrcene was presented with phenylacetaldehyde or with benzyl acetate compared with phenylacetaldehyde alone or benzyl acetate alone. Similarly, more cabbage looper moths were trapped with β-myrcene with phenylacetaldehyde compared with phenylacetaldehyde alone. These findings provide new chemical blends for luring and trapping both sexes of alfalfa looper and cabbage looper moths and suggest differences in preferences of these two moth species for floral odorants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]