Flight of the bluegreen aphid, Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji (Homoptera: Aphididae). III. Comparison of trapping methods for A. kondoi and natural enemies

Abstract

Suction-trap catches of winged bluegreen aphid (BGA), Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji and its natural enemies (Coccinella undecimpunctata L. and Micromus tasmaniae [Walker]), in a lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) crop in Canterbury, New Zealand, were compared to trap catches from a yellow cylindrical sticky-trap, a yellow water pan trap, and a wind vane net trap. Sticky trap and water pan catches of BGA were highly correlated to suction-trap catches, while the wind vane net was the least correlated. Suction traps and sticky traps were more effective than other traps for sampling C. undecimpunctata. M. tasmaniae was most effectively sampled by suction traps. However, for monitoring of BGA flights, sticky traps and water pan traps proved adequate substitutes to suction traps. The effect of environmental conditions on aphid catch in the sticky and water pan traps were analysed. The performance of the water pan trap was more influenced by environmental conditions than the sticky trap.

Keywords:

• Homoptera
• Aphididae
• Acyrthosiphon kondoi
• bluegreen aphid
• natural enemies
• lucerne
• flight trapping
• suction trap
• sticky trap, water trap
• wind vane net trap