Codling Moth: Influence of Temperature and Daylight Intensity on Periodicity of Daily Flight in the Field1

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Abstract
Timed catches of Laspcyrcsia pomonella (L.) were made in sex-pheromone traps over two seasons at San Jose and over one season at Placerville, Calif., where timed catches were made also in ultraviolet light traps. The mating-flight response appeared to be circadian and entrained to the daily photoperiod. Where not limited by other factors, this daily response began about three hours before sunset and extended to about two hours after sunset. High temperatures (above approximately 80°F) as well as low (below ca. 55°F) changed this pattern by limiting the response, and thus the observed periodicity varied considerably with time of season and with location. Temperature thresholds for the light trap were approximately the same as for the Pheromone trap. Low temperatures were more limiting in the early season on the light trap than on the pheromone trap, because the low-temperature threshold was often attained after some catches were made in the pheromone traps but before daylight intensity was sufficiently low for attraction by light traps. Later in the season, high temperatures often limited the duration of the daily mating flight, but they seldom limited duration of catch in the light traps. Clearly, catches in either type trap did not consistently reflect actual population abundance.

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