Attraction of Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood)(Heteroptera: alydidae) to cow urine and ammonia

Abstract

The alydid bug parvus (Westwood) is not easily detected in the field and the discovery of attractants may be a suitable way to monitor this species. The attraction of N. parvus to traps (transparent, transparent green and yellow) baited with cow urine and ammonia was studied in two field trials. Traps were placed near a terrace with pigeon pea plants (Cajanus cajan L.). Tap water, NaCl 10% aqueous solution (w/v), cow urine, and ammonia (NH4OH 1% aqueous solution) were tested as attractants in yellow, transparent and transparent green traps. Green traps baited with cow urine caught more bugs than yellow and transparent traps (3.2 and 7.2 times more, respectively), and more bugs than traps of the same color with just water (no captures) or NH4OH solution (14.5 times more). Traps baited with ammonia caught more bugs than traps with water: 14.4, 4.7 and 6.7 times more than transparent green, yellow, and transparent traps, respectively, or NaCl solution: 3.9, 7.6 and 6.2 times, respectively. Both ammonia and cow urine are attractive to N. parvus and may be tested to monitor the bugs in the field.