Effect of color on the trapping effectiveness of red palm weevil pheromone traps

The Red Palm Weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Curculionidae: Coleoptera), is the most serious and difficult to control insect pest on date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in the United Arab Emirates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of trap color on trap effectiveness in catching R. ferrugineus. Traps baited with the male aggregation pheromone of the red palm weevil were installed in four date palm farms in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in 2007. Seven trap colors were tested for attraction to the red palm weevil (red, green, blue, orange, pink, yellow and white). The highest weevil catch was achieved in the red trap (p<0.05). Present results indicate that trap color has a significant effect on trap effectiveness, which suggests that dark-colored traps in general and the red in particular, catch more weevils. Therefore, the use of red traps will be more effective in the control programs of this economic pest.