Pheromone-monitoring
Guides
Agriotes sputator
Spitting Click Beetle, Common Click Beetle
Agriotes sputator is a click beetle native to Europe, with established populations in parts of western Asia, North Africa, and an introduced range in eastern Canada. Adults are small (6–9 mm), dark brown to black with reddish-brown antennae and legs. The larvae, known as wireworms, are soil-dwelling agricultural pests that feed on roots and germinating seeds. The species completes its life cycle in up to five years, with larvae developing through multiple growth stages before pupation. It is considered a serious pest of cereals, potatoes, and other crops, and is monitored using pheromone traps baited with geranyl butanoate.
Archips rosana
Rose Tortrix, Rose Tortrix Moth, Rose Leaf Roller
Archips rosana, the rose tortrix moth, is a leafroller moth in the family Tortricidae distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic realms. The species is a significant agricultural pest of apple orchards and other fruit crops, with larvae feeding within rolled leaves. Adults are active from May to August, with specific timing varying by location. The species is subject to substantial biological control by parasitoid wasps, with parasitisation rates reaching 24-40% in some populations.
Desmocerus aureipennis piperi
valley elderberry longhorn beetle, VELB
Desmocerus aureipennis piperi, commonly known as the valley elderberry longhorn beetle (VELB), is a federally threatened subspecies endemic to California's Central Valley. Adults are active for only a few weeks annually, making detection difficult. The subspecies breeds exclusively in living stems and roots of elderberry plants (Sambucus spp.). Males are attracted to a sex pheromone, (R)-desmolactone, which has proven effective for monitoring populations.
Euhyponomeutoides
A genus of small moths in the family Yponomeutidae, established by Gaj in 1954. Contains seven described species distributed primarily in the Palearctic region. At least one species, Euhyponomeutoides albithoracellus, is a documented pest of black currant (Ribes nigrum) cultivation in Northern Europe. The genus is poorly studied, with limited biological information available for most species.
Euxoa scandens
white cutworm, white cutworm moth
Euxoa scandens, commonly known as the white cutworm, is a noctuid moth native to North America. It is recognized as a sporadic agricultural pest, particularly affecting tobacco in Quebec, asparagus in Michigan, and various vegetable crops grown in light sandy soils. The species exhibits a univoltine life cycle with immature larvae overwintering and resuming feeding in spring, causing significant damage to young plants. Adult moths emerge and oviposit from late June through late July. Research has focused on developing female sex pheromone-based monitoring systems to improve management of this pest.
Grapholita
Grapholita is a large genus of tortrix moths comprising approximately 126 recognized species. Established by Georg Friedrich Treitschke in 1829, it serves as the type genus for the tribe Grapholitini within subfamily Olethreutinae. The genus includes several economically significant agricultural pests, notably the Oriental fruit moth (G. molesta), plum moth (G. funebrana), and Eurasian hemp borer (G. delineana), which infest fruits and reproductive structures of host plants. Species delimitation between Grapholita and the related genus Cydia remains under investigation.
Osmoderma
Typical Hermit Beetles, Hermit Beetles
Osmoderma is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly known as hermit beetles. The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with species found across Europe, parts of Asia, and North America. Several European species, particularly O. eremita and O. barnabita, are of significant conservation concern due to habitat loss and are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. The genus is characterized by its dependence on tree hollows for larval development, making it highly vulnerable to forest management practices that remove dead wood and veteran trees.
saproxylicconservationHabitats-Directivetree-hollowsveteran-treesindicator-speciesumbrella-specieswood-mouldCetoniinaeScarabaeidaeHolarcticEuropeNorth-Americathreatened-speciesdead-woodforest-managementcitizen-sciencedetection-dogsex-situ-breedingpollardingtraditional-agricultural-landscapesmetapopulationhabitat-fragmentationold-growth-forestbroad-leaved-treesoaklimewillowbeechorchardshedgerowsurban-parkspheromone-monitoringradio-trackingphoretic-mitesScopoli-1763Le-Peletier-&-Serville-1828O.-eremitaO.-barnabitaO.-eremicolahermit-beetlePlatynota stultana
Omnivorous Leafroller, Omnivorous Leafroller Moth
Platynota stultana, the omnivorous leafroller, is a highly polyphagous tortricid moth native to northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It has become an established invasive pest in Hawaii, Spain, Italy, and multiple other European countries. Adults are small with wingspans around 14 mm and are active year-round in warm climates. The species completes four to six generations annually in California and produces severe economic damage in vineyards, greenhouses, and nursery operations. Larval feeding on grape berries causes skin breakage that leads to fungal rot and crop losses up to 80%.
Sitona lineatus
pea leaf weevil, pea weevil, bean weevil
Sitona lineatus is an invasive weevil pest of pulse crops, particularly field pea (Pisum sativum) and faba bean (Vicia faba). Native to Europe and North Africa, it has established populations in western Canadian prairie provinces and is expanding southward into the northern United States. Adults feed on foliage, while larvae develop underground feeding on root nodules and Rhizobium bacteria. The species exhibits distinct spring and late-summer flight periods tied to temperature thresholds, with spring migration from overwintering sites driving crop colonization. Economic impacts include yield reductions up to 28% through combined foliar and root damage.