Lethal Pitfall Trap for Evaluation of Semiochemical-Mediated Attraction of Metamasius hemipterus sericeus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract

A lethal pitfall trap was developed for evaluating field response of adults of the West Indian sugarcane borer, Metamasius hemipterus sericeus (Olivier), to semiochemical attractants. Using this trap, we determined that early (< or equal to 5 days) volatile fermentation products from 250 g of chopped fresh stem tissue from the cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto [Walter]), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.), pineapple (Anana comosus [L.]), or pseudostem from banana (Musa sp.) (fermented under water for 5-7 days) were attractive to M. h. sericeus adults in the field. Weevils were not trapped with fresh banana pseudostem and chopped unfurled leaves of S. palmetto. The addition of 20 males or 20 females to 250 g of chopped S. palmetto stem tissue increased capture of M. h. sericeus over tissue alone. Surveys with the lethal pitfall trap baited with sugarcane tissue demonstrated that M. h. sericeus is established in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, Florida. This weevil poses a potential threat to sugarcane and field plantings of certain ornamental palm species, including Hyophorbe verschaffeltii Wendland, Phoenix canariensis Hortorum ex Chabaud, Ptychosperma macarthurii (Wendland), Ravenea rivularis, Roystonea regia (Humbolt, Bonpland & Kunth), and Washingtonia robusta Wendland.