Attraction of Carpophilus dimidiatus and C. obsoletus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) to aggregation pheromones in stored cocoa. In: Agrotrópica v. 9 p. 41-48, 1997.

Abstract

A series of experiments were undertaken to evaluate the responses of Carpophilus dimidiatus and C. obsoletus to various aggregation pheromones. Both species are pests of cocoa in Bahia, Brasil. Aggregation pheromones evaluated were: C. lugubris, C. freemani, C. hemipterus, C. mutilatus, C. obsoletus and C. dimidiatus. A total of six experiments were conducted in cocoa warehouses located in Ilhéus and Itabuna, Bahia, Brasil. Glass jars, 750 ml capacity, served as traps. Pheromones and/or a food attractant served as lures and were placed inside the jars, in small plastic cups, hung from a perforated aluminium foil trap cover. In the experiments were just the pheromones of C. dimidiatus and C. obsoletus were tested it was shown that C. dimidiatus trapping is just effective with only its own pheromone, whereas C. obsoletus prefers a combination of its own pheromone plus food attractant. When the pheromones of species of Carpophilus other than C. obsoletus and C. dimidiatus were used in the traps, it was found that they are more effective with the food attractant. This is believed to be the first testing of the pheromones of Carpophilus beetles in cocoa stores, offering a potential for the monitoring of such pests as the C. dimidiatus and C. obsoletus.