Wind-directed pheromone trap for drone honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

A portable pheromone-trap system was developed for monitoring drone honey bee, Apis mellifera L., populations. The wind-directed system included a white nylon net, pheromone lure (porous polyethylene rod treated with synthetic E-9-oxo-2-decenoic acid (9-ODA)), 6.1-m support, and sample bag holder. The trapping site and anemotactic flight behavior of drones affected capture rates. Traps baited with 5 or 10 mg synthetic 9-ODA routinely captured 150-300 drones per 3 min during the 90-min periods of peak flight. This trap system has potential as a survey and management tool for Africanized honey bee suppression programs and for control of local drone populations by queen breeders.