A technique for tethering females of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to evaluate pheromone control methods

Abstract

AbstractA fast and simple method of preparing virgin females of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) for exposure in the field is described. Low predation rates were achieved by tethering the moths on a short (20 cm) piece of cotton thread directly to the plants and by keeping unnecessary daytime exposure to a minimum. Consistently high levels of successful mating were recorded in both berseem and cotton fields in Egypt, suggesting the suitability of the tethering technique for measuring reduction of mating levels in pheromone control trials.