Non-target lepidopteran insects attracted to a sex pheromone lure for Spodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Sex pheromone lures usually attract the target species very specifically; however, non-target species are also often attracted. Non-target species attracted to a sex pheromone lure could lead to technical problems in pest monitoring. In this study, non-target lepidopteran species attracted to the sex pheromone lure for the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) were examined at four sites in different environmental conditions in and around Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. In addition to attraction of the target species, three lepidopteran species (Athetis dissimilis (Hampson), Cucullia fraterna Butler, and Lithophane ustulata (Butler)) were specifically attracted to the lures for S. exigua. Of these, A. dissimilis was considered to be the species most likely to cause erroneous determination when S. exigua were counted mechanically or by inexperienced investigators.