The seed department can offer a monitoring service for European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis).
We currently have 3 electrically powered black light traps which attract nocturnal insects via luminescent lamps and suction blowers. Furthermore, 3 battery-powered traps with luminescent lamps can be positioned in places with no available power connection.
All insects caught during the night are removed daily, in the early morning. Once such bags are received by our entomologists, they can identify the ‘target’ species (Ostrinia nubilalis) by counting males and females separately. A daily report is then filled out and sent to the customer; this allows them to draw a population growth curve in order to precisely assess the most suitable moment for an on-site chemical intervention.
In addition to such adult counting, egg masses are counted daily as well. Counting the number of egg masses helps estimate the species reproductive potential and predict the attack level to be expected from next generations.
The number of egg masses is counted according to a block diagram in order to get representative data.
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