Seasonal patterns of Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and inventory of plusiine species cross-attracted to C. includens pheromone traps in the Florida Panhandle

Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest in agricultural systems with more than 100 host plants across 39 families. To detect the occurrence of this pest in the Florida panhandle, sex pheromone trapping is often implemented, although other species of plusiines can also be attracted. These plusiine species may be misidentified as C. includens due to their morphological similarities, which can skew estimations of C. includens abundance in the field. Consequently, improper timing of chemical control may be implemented. The objective of this study was to provide region-specific information on the abundance of C. includens as well as an inventory of related plusiine species cross-attracted to C. includens sex pheromone traps in the Florida panhandle. The study was conducted across two years, from spring 2017 to spring 2019. Sixteen commercial fields of peanut and cotton located across Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Jackson counties were monitored throughout the year with Trece delta traps baited with C. includens sex pheromone lures (Alpha Scents, Inc.; West Linn, OR). Plusiine specimens in the traps were identified using morphological characteristics of the forewing and the male genitalia. Identifications revealed that in addition to C. includens, the following species were cross-attracted to C. includens pheromone traps: Argyrogramma verruca, Trichoplusia ni, Ctenoplusia oxygramma, and Rachiplusia ou. The contribution of the work will be discussed, considering the inventory of plusiine species cross-attracted in C. includens trapping, their flight phenology throughout the year in the region, and the implications to IPM and pest risk analysis.