Effect of Temperature and Lunar Phase in Light Trap Catches of Yellow Rice Stem Borer Scirpophaga incertulas Wik.

Abstract

A gradual increase in moth population along with the raising of temperature resulted in the highest number of moths captured (516/trap), when the temperature was 100-105°F. However, the number of moths drastically reduced when the temperature crossed this limit. Significantly higher numbers of moths were mercury bulb of captured during the last quarter of the lunar phase in the light trap fitted with 60,100,125 and and 200w respectively. The moth catches in the light trap indicated that significantly higher number were captured during new moon (first week) in the trap fitted with 200w mercury bulb and number of moths decreased decreased during all the four lunar phases. the strength of the light source decreased during all the four lunar phases.