Long-Term Seasonal Abundance Patterns of <I>Helicoverpa zea</I> and <I>Heliothis virescens</I> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Texas High Plains

Abstract

Bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), male adult (moth) activities were monitored between 1982 and 1995 by using sex pheromone traps in the Texas High Plains. Moths were monitored weekly from early March to mid-November near Lubbock and Halfway, two prominent cotton production areas in the Texas High Plains region. Based on trap captures, the bollworm-budworm complex consisted of approximately 98% bollworms and approximately 2% tobacco budworms. Seasonal activity patterns varied between location for bollworm but not for tobacco budworm. The 14-yr average (+/- SE) bollworm moth abundance (moths per trap per week) at Lubbock was significantly higher (226.5 +/- 10.4) compared with that at Halfway (153.7 +/- 8.1). Correlation analyses showed a significant positive relationship between moth abundance and average weekly temperatures, whereas a significant negative relationship was observed between moth abundance and average weekly wind velocity for both species. Analyses also showed a positive correlation between moth abundance and cumulative degree-days (> 0.0 degrees C) from 1 January. A strong positive relationship was observed between moth abundance and weekly average precipitation for both species. Average weekly abundances were positively correlated between adjacent months during most of the active cotton fruiting season (June-September). However, the relationship between populations that contributed to the overwintering generation and the following spring populations varied between species and study sites. Nevertheless, data from this study indicated that late-season moth catches could be indicative of the dynamics of the early-season moth catches the following year in the High Plains. The mean population abundance curve based on 14-yr averages showed two bollworm population peaks at Lubbock, but only one peak at Halfway. Separate degree-day-based models were developed to describe long-term seasonal abundance patterns of bollworm moths for the Lubbock and Halfway sites.

Population Dynamics of Six Major Insect Pests During Multiple Crop Growing Seasons in Northwestern New Mexico

“…Insect abundance showed different correlations with air temperature and relative humidity as reported by numerous studies. The findings of the present study are in agreement with Parajulee et al [20], who reported significant positive correlation between air temperature, the thermal units, weekly average precipitation and Helicoverpa zea abundance during the period from June to September in the Texas High Plains region. Munyaneza et al [35] reported that Bactericera cockerelli migrated biannually with high temperature and wind in late spring from western Texas to southern New Mexico, Arizona, California and northern Mexico [39,40,41].…”

“…Lafontaine and Poole [19] reported that Trichoplusia ni migrates north up to Canada each spring from the southern United States where it overwintered. Parajulee et al [20] reported one population peak of Helicoverpa zea at Halfway and two peaks at Lubboock, Texas while adult moths are present from April to October. In Maryland, Helicoverpa zea is present from early May to early October and the population peaked of in late August and early September [21,22].…”

Transcriptome analysis of the sex pheromone gland of the noctuid moth Heliothis virescens

“…Heliothis virescens is a major agricultural pest in a number of crops in North and South America. Pheromone traps are widely used in the US cotton belt to monitor H. virescens populations [34-37], and in Mexico [38]. The trap capture data have been used in many integrated pest management programs to determine if and when insecticide applications are needed.…”