Monitoring the Seasonal Occurrence and Distribution of Pink Bollworm (Pectinophora Gossypiella Saunders) With Gossyplure Traps for Control Strategy
Studies on seasonal trapping of pink bollworm moth during 1978–1980 revealed that the emergence from the diapausing brood started during first fortnight of March. The peak of moth emergence coincided with the onset of regular monsoon during June-July. Periodic moth emergence before this period was governed by pre-monsoon showers. Moth emergence from the short-cycle brood started in the first week of August and reached its maximum in first week of October. The moths became active soon after sunset and number of moths caught in pheromone traps increased gradually. Maximum activity occurred between midnight and 0300 hrs, when 49.7 per cent of total moth catch was obtained during August and 56.3 per cent during September. During October maximum activity was between 2200 hrs and 0100 hr. Moths tended to con-gregate in cotton field when fruiting bodies were present and dispersed from the field in early and late season.