New Pest Response Guidelines - aphis - US Department of Agriculture

Light Traps
Survey Procedures
Figure 4-7 A milk carton trap for gypsy moth can be modified for use in trapping
Dendrolimus moths (Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University,
Bugwood.org).
Light traps are commercially available and are the most effective method to
monitor adult populations but are more expensive and time-consuming to
monitor. Light traps were instrumental in detecting the first pine-tree lappets in
the Southern coast of England and the English Channel islands in 2005
(Anonymous, 2009) and have been effectively used by amateur entomologists
to report new sightings of adult pine-tree lappet in the United Kingdom (Gould
et al., 2009). Light traps are more effective when used during the late afternoon
hours (right after sunset) until midnight when adult moths are more actively
flying. Males fly earlier than mated females. Light traps are not specific to
Dendrolimus moths and may attract many different Lepidoptera, therefore,
specimens should be preserved and identified properly by a qualified
taxonomist.
Preparing Samples
Preserve unknown Lepidoptera in 70-95% percent alcohol and send for
identification and preservation.
12/2012-01 Dendrolimus Pine Moths 4-13