Trapping of the coffee berry borer <i>Hypothenemus hampei</i> Ferr. (Col., Scolytidae) within a mesh‐enclosed environment: interaction of olfactory and visual stimuli

Abstract

Abstract Coffee berry borer (CBB) colonizing females were released within a mesh‐tent and recaptured in traps to study the interaction of olfactory and visual stimuli during the flight phase. A 1:1 methanol–ethanol mixture was used as an attractant in traps constructed from multiple funnels of red or white. The first aim of the present experiments was to verify that the results obtained in a laboratory olfactometer, in which insects were constrained to walk and in which visual and olfactory stimuli were independently manipulated, could be extended to an outdoor arena enclosed by a net tent. The second aim was to test different emission odour rate, and finally develop a prototype trap which could be used for subsequent studies of CBB population dynamics in the field. Out of 3 000 females released, over 45% were recaptured, among which 95% were collected from traps with methanol–ethanol mixture. The red traps were more attractive than the white traps. The lower the rate of emission of odour, the greater the number of females recaptured. These results show the importance of vision and olfaction for the CBB's flight approach to the trap.