A pheromone trap uses a lure that imitates the sex attractant a female moth releases, so it catches males of one target species, such as corn earworm or European corn borer. Extension guides for hemp use trap catches to show when moths are flying and egg-laying is imminent.
In practice
Trap catches start the clock: combine them with a degree-day model to predict egg hatch, then scout flowers for eggs and young larvae. Traps catch too few moths to reduce a population, and catches reflect males only. Change lures on the schedule given by the lure maker.
Don't confuse with
- Sticky card: catches any small flying insect by colour.
- Light trap: attracts many night-flying insects, including beneficials.
Helicoverpa zea, a moth caterpillar that bores into developing cannabis flowers outdoors, leaving frass that triggers bud rot; growers call it budworm.Hemp is cannabis grown for fibre, seed or other uses and, in many laws, defined as Cannabis sativa with no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight.A unit of accumulated heat above a pest's lower developmental threshold; development finishes when a stage's degree-day total is reached, whatever the calendar says.A coloured card coated in non-drying glue that catches flying insects, used mainly to monitor pest trends: yellow for gnats, whiteflies and aphids, blue for thrips.Using living natural enemies, such as predators, parasitoids, nematodes and microbes, to suppress pests and diseases instead of, or before, chemical sprays.Systematic, regular inspection of plants, traps and roots to detect pests and disease early, identify them correctly and record numbers for decisions.The pest or disease level, set in advance, at which a grower takes a specific control action because waiting longer would cost more than acting.
