Seasonal monitoring of the yellow alfalfa geometrid, Isturgia arenacearia (Denis and Schiffermuller, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) by pheromone traps in three regions of Bulgaria

Monitoring the seasonal flights of the yellow alfalfa geometrid, Isturgia arenacearia (Denis and Schiffermuller, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), was made using home made sticky delta traps baited with pheromone caps purchased from “CSALOMON®” (Plant Protection Institute, Hungary, Budapest). The monitoring was conducted in alfalfa fields in Plovdiv, Pazardjik and Sofia regions in Bulgaria during 2007–2009. The flight of I. arenacearia at the investigated sites started during April and lasted until the end of August — middle of September. Two relatively well-defined peaks indicating two generations were recorded in Sofia region. Thus the flight period of the pest was defined more accurately than previously recorded and proved to be significantly longer than was known for this country. Pheromone baits, products of “CSALOMON®” (Plant Protection Institute, Hungary, Budapest), are potent and very species specific tool for detecting the presence of, and seasonal monitoring of I. arenacearia