Comparison of three trap types for adult catching of whitefly Bemisia tabaci and its parasitoid Eretmocerus mundus in tomato greenhouse

Abstract

The attractiveness of three trap types to Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B-biotype (= Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring) and Eretmocerus mundus Mercet adult was compared in two choice experiments in a greenhouse at the Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales, Madrid, Spain. Yellow sticky cards equipped with light-emitting-diodes (LED-YC) caught more adults per trap per day than yellow sticky card (YC) traps.YC traps caught significantly more B. tabaci and E. mundus adults than plastic cup traps equipped with light-emitting diodes (LED-plastic cup traps). However, the LED-plastic cup traps caught few E. mundus compared with YC traps. The results suggest that LED-plastic cup traps are compatible with E. mundus parasites in greenhouses where the parasites are released to reduce B. tabaci nymph population.