PINK BOLLWORM PHEROMONE TRAPPING: ANALYSIS OF TRAP DESIGNa PHEROMONE SUBSTRATE AND FIELD SPACING by

Research was conducted to evaluate various pink bollworm pheromone dispensers; the Conrel hollow fiber dispenser, gossyplure treated rubber tubing dispensers utilizing either a hexane or methylene chloride solvent, aged dispensers, and dispensers treated with aged pheromone<, Although results varied depending on the time of year, the Conrel dispenser was generally least effective. The two solvents were equally effective. Storage of treated rubber wicks or pure pheromone for one year at 6°C did not signif­ icantly affect attractiveness. Even after 38 weeks of field exposure rubber wicks were highly attractive. The Kitterman insect monitor trap was evaluated for use as a male pink bollworm monitor. The commercially sold design was inadequate; however, replacement of the Tangle­ foot coated base with Stikem and the Conrel dispenser with a rubber wick improved the trap substantially. To determine the optimum density at which pink bollworm pheromone traps should be deployed in a mass trap­ ping program, a trap density study evaluated the Huber oil and Stikem traps at the rates of 2.5-15 and 7<>5-15 traps/ hectare, respectively. Within field populations and under the conditions of these studies the optimum density for the vii viii Stikem trap was about 12„5 traps/hectare while that for the oil trap was greater than 15 traps/hectare„