Field Observations on Attractiveness of Selected Blooming Plants to Noctuid Moths and Electroantennogram Responses of Black Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Moths to Flower Volatiles

Abstract

Electroantennogram responses of black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), moths were measured for volatiles from flowers of 11 species of spring-blooming plants and 14 species of summer-blooming plants. Electroantennogram responses to the flower volatiles ranged from 0.17 to 0.99 mV. Field observations indicated that flowers of some of the tested plants were highly attractive to both male and female black cutworm moths and to other noctuid adults. Flower volatiles from blooming plants observed to be attractive to black cutworm adults in field situations also elicited relatively higher electroantennogram responses.