Attraction of red palm weevil Hynchophorus ferrugineus Oliv. To ferrugineol based pheromone lures in coconut gardens

Abstract

With the synthesis of ferrugineol based aggregation pheromone during 1993, food baited pheromone traps have been effectively used to monitor and mass trap red palm weevil. This study, aims at assessing the weevil capturing potential of different ferrugineol based pheromone lures in palm weevil infested coconut gardens. Of the different lures evaluated in this study for attractiveness to red palm weevil, it was seen that improved ferrolure recorded the best captures. 'Ferrolure+' and ferrolure were equally effective in attracting the pest, while the use of food bait along with the pheromone lure in the trap was essential to obtain higher catches and pheromone trap captures were female dominated.