<I>Uraba lugens</I> (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) in New Zealand: Pheromone Trapping for Delimitation and Phenology

Abstract

A synthetic sex pheromone trapping survey of the leaf skeletonizer Uraba lugens Walker (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) demonstrated the unexpectedly widespread distribution of the insect across > 40,000 ha of urban Auckland, New Zealand. A survey of eucalyptus trees planted in parks and other public areas showed a significant spatial correlation between trap catch and breeding populations, validating the trap survey results. Traps in trees showing damage had four-fold higher catches than traps placed in undamaged or nonhost trees, and < 1% of damaged trees with traps failed to catch adult moths. Damage by larval feeding was correlated with male trap catch in the previous generation, offering good prospects for a pest management decision support system, provided that an economic threshold is developed. Catches increased by 3.4-fold in the same georeferenced trapping grid between November and December 2003 and between March and April 2004 across two generations, over the summer. A vertical transect showed that catches increased with height up to the top trap at 13 m (60% of mean tree height). Options for managing the insect will need to overcome the high rate of increase, the rate of spread, and the vertical distribution of the insect on tall eucalyptus trees.

Identification of olfactory receptor neurons in Uraba lugens (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) and its implications for host range

“…This species, native to Australia, invaded into New Zealand around 1995 and is now well established in the northern area of New Zealand (Suckling et al, 2005). Some other non-eucalypt tree species including the unrelated Betula pendula Roth (Betulaceae) and Liquidambar have also been identified as 'novel hosts' in New Zealand although being utilized only occasionally (Berndt unpublished data).…”

Monitoring oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea L. using pheromone traps: the influence of pheromone lure source, trap design and height above the ground on capture rates

“…An estimate of rates of spread and changes in the distribution range from the initial point of infestation of the non-indigenous insect pest is an essential part of the pest management process. To enable the detection, and to monitor rates of spread, particularly of non-indigenous Lepidopteran pests, pheromone traps have typically been used with a considerable degree of success (Myers & Hosking, 2002;Sharov et al ., 2002;Suckling et al ., 2005;Tobin et al ., 2007). One of the key factors that often influences trap capture rates is the positioning of the trap in the tree canopy (Cardé & Elkinton, 1984).…”

“…(2003) note that traps were more efficient at capturing male OPM when placed at this height in the upper canopy, and were less efficient when placed at 2 or 6-8 m. Studies on pine processionary moth (PPM), a close relative of OPM, have also shown that higher numbers of adult males are captured when pheromone traps are placed in the crowns of pine trees (Einhorn et al ., 1983;Jactel et al ., 2006). For many other Lepidoptera species as well, pheromone trap catches are greater when the traps are placed in the upper part of the tree canopy (Sower & Daterman, 1977;Hanula et al ., 1984;Liebhold & Volney, 1984;Bhardwaj & Chander, 1992;Barrett, 1995;Suckling et al ., 2005;Kovanci et al ., 2006). The present study indicated that male OPM captures in traps did not reach a maximum, and continued to rise with an increasing height positioning of the pheromone trap in the canopy.…”

“…Pheromone trapping for monitoring populations and dispersal of Lepidopteran pests is a well established technique and has been exploited for use with numerous non-indigenous invasive species worldwide (Sharov et al ., 2002;Myers & Hosking, 2002;Suckling et al ., 2005;Tobin et al ., 2007). It is particularly effective for detecting insect pests at low population densities, although trap captures are influenced by a wide range of factors.…”

Evidence of active or passive downwind dispersal in mark–release–recapture of moths

“…Pheromone baited traps are widely used for biosecurity surveillance to detect new incursions of unwanted organisms, and to delimit their ranges (Augustin et al., 2004; Suckling et al., 2005a,b; Bogich et al., 2008; Liebhold & Tobin, 2008). They have been used for several decades in pest management for monitoring to alert land managers to the presence of a pest in time and space, providing insight into phenology as well as geographic distribution (Suckling et al., 2005b). Pheromone traps have also been used to delimit populations for pest risk modelling (Kriticos et al., 2007).…”