Detecting adult phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) infestations in a raisin-marketing channel

Populations of stored-product moths in raisin-marketing channels were evaluated with the pheromone (Z-E) 9-12 tetradecadien-1-01 acetate. Sticky traps baited with this pheromone attracted Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner); almond moth, Cadra cautella (Walker); raisin moth, Cadra figulilella (Gregson); Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller); and tobacco moth, Ephestia elutella (Hubner). Indianmeal moth was found in very low numbers in a U.S. raisin-processing plant. Raisin moths were plentiful outside the plant, but were rarely found inside the plant. During transport of raisins to Rottendam, The Netherlands, only almond moths were captured. Western European warehouses were infested with Indianmeal moth, tobacco moth, Mediterranean flour moth, and almond moth. Only one raisin moth was trapped in these warehouses. Pheromone-baited traps are valuable for detection of insect infestation in marketing channels, and their use could lead to improved insect control programs and thus cleaner raisin products for the consumer