ABSTRACT
Argyrotaenia sphaleropa (Meyrick, 1909) (Leptidoptera: Tortricidae) is one of the most important pests of persimmon trees in the Serra Gaúcha region, the main persimmon prodution area in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, where it also damages peach trees and grapevines. In the orchards the pest can be monitored by pheromone traps, but to improve a program of pest monitoring it is essential to supply information about the effect of the color of delta traps and their height of placement on A. sphaleropa catches. In this study, the A. sphaleropa adults catch was evaluated in white delta traps placed at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 m above ground level and in white, yellow, red, blue and green traps located at 1.8m above of ground level. This study showed that the traps placed at 2.0 to 2.5 m above ground level captured a greater number of adults compared to those placed at 0.5 to 1.5 m. The green and blue traps were more efficient than the white, yellow and red ones on the capture of A. sphaleropa. According to the results obtained in this study, the use green or blue traps is recommended, placed at 2.0 m above ground level, for monitoring A. sphaleropa in persimmon orchards.
KEY WORDS
Insecta; South American tortricid moth; persimmon; monitoring