Comparison of Adult Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Trapping Techniques as Population Estimators

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Abstract
Eight trapping methods were compared for their ability to sample populations of adult northern and western corn rootworms, Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence and Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, respectively. Comparisons of sampling efficiency, fidelity with standard sampling methods (ear zone and plant counts), sampling precision, and sex and species capture ratios were made among these sampling techniques. Two of the trapping techniques, the unbaited Pherocon AM trap and the ear level, cylindrical sticky trap, were found to have the best adult corn rootworm sampling characteristics. These trapping techniques were significantly correlated with the standard sampling methods, and their sampling precisions were the highest of all the traps tested. Also, both techniques sampled corn rootworm populations similarly with respect to sex and species captured. Therefore, either the unbaited Pherocon AM trap or the ear level, cylindrical sticky trap could be used effectively as a relative sampling method for adult corn rootworms.