Optimizing trap placement for a semiochemical-based cucumber beetle control strategy

Striped cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittatum) cause significant damage to cucurbit agriculture through feeding and disease transmission. Because they emerge from overwintering and spend an extended time feeding on suboptimal hosts while awaiting chemical signals (vittatalactone) from conspecifics who’ve found cucurbits, they may be well-suited to early-season management strategies that make use of such signals. This research aims to develop a sustainable management approach by optimizing the spatial placement of semiochemical-baited traps to control beetle populations before they encounter cucurbit crops.

Field trials were conducted across multiple farms in Floyd, Virginia, using traps baited with vittatalactone and the floral volatile indole. By monitoring beetle trap captures and their distribution over time, this study sought to identify key areas with higher capture rates to examine the relationship between beetle captures and landscape features such as distance to tree lines, plots with previous cucurbit production, and availability of floral resources. Understanding these spatial dynamics allows for strategic trap placement, enhancing their effectiveness in capturing beetles before they damage emerging crops.This information, paired with additional trials meant to determine dispersive capacity and the behaviroally effective plume reach of semiochemical lures, may inform future management strategies that reduce reliance on chemical insecticides by supporting the development of a practical and cost-effective solutions for integrated pest management in sustainable agriculture.