Trapping hop looper moths, Hypena humuli Harris (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), in hop yards with acetic acid and 3-methyl-1-butanol

Abstract

Hop looper moths, Hypena humuli Harris, in commercial hop yards (Humulus lupulus L.) were captured in traps baited with a combination of acetic acid plus 3-methyl-1-butanol (AAMB). The two chemicals were synergistic in attracting hop looper moths. In a comparison of the lure chemicals, most moths were trapped with AAMB as the lure, while very few moths were captured in traps baited with acetic acid alone or 3-methyl-1-butanol alone. Female and male hop looper moths were trapped with AAMB, with an overall sex ratio through the year of 44% females to 56% males. Moths were trapped in all months of the growing season, from April into October. From April through September, most females captured in traps were mated, whereas in October most females trapped had been unmated. Most of the mated females, we trapped contained one spermatophore, indicating a single mating. The numbers of moths trapped were low from April through June, and increased greatly in July, and at one site again in late August. AAMB-baited traps may be a useful tool for monitoring hop looper moths in commercial hop yards, to determine their presence, and potentially to assess the risk of damaging infestations.

Keywords:

• Hypena humuli
• hop looper
• Humulus lupulus
• hops
• trapping
• lure
• monitoring

Acknowledgments

Technical assistance was provided by Jewel Brumley, Daryl Green, Marina Meixner, and Marina Mirales. Roy Farms, John I. Haas, Wyckoff Farms, and Olsen Brothers Ranches kindly provided access to their hop yards for the trapping experiments.