Effect of Trap Type and Height on the Captures of the Pink Bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), in Pheromone-Baited Traps in Cotton

The impact of trap type and height on the captures of adults of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), was assessed in cotton fields in three experimental sites (Nikaia, Nees Karyes, and Koilada) in Central Greece. Initially, the effectiveness of three different traps (white Delta, red Delta, and green Funnel) was compared. Subsequently, white Delta traps were positioned at three heights, i.e., 30, 60, and 90 cm, above ground level. Overall, captures notably increased in all traps from late July to mid-September. Funnel traps had poor performance for the captures of P. gossypiella adults, as compared with the respective figures for the other two Delta traps. Specifically, in two experimental sites (Nikaia and Koilada), both Delta traps cumulatively captured significantly more adults than the Funnel trap throughout the monitoring period. In the third site (Nees Karyes), the red Delta trap captured in total significantly more adults than the other two tested traps. Moreover, we found that traps in Nikaia placed at 90 cm captured significantly less adults as compared with the other two trap heights. The same trend was observed in Koilada; however, differences were significant only between traps at 30 and 90 cm. No significant differences were determined among different heights in the third site (Nees Karyes). These findings offer valuable insights for the monitoring protocols of P. gossypiella in cotton fields, on the basis of a standardized trapping strategy, that can take into account a wide range of factors, such as trap design and trap height.