Method for trapping Frankliniella occidentalis based on combination of attractant and LED lamp and application of method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of green prevention and control of agricultural pests, and particularly relates to a method for trapping Frankliniella occidentalis based on an attractant in combination with an LED lamp and application of the method. According to the method, p-methoxybenzaldehyde, cinnamyl aldehyde and ethyl nicotinate are compounded into the attractant according to the mass ratio of 3: 1: 1, and when the attractant is applied to the field, a rubber head loaded with the Frankliniella occidentalis attractant is placed on an insect sticking plate, and the insect sticking plate is fixed on a light source trap for use. When the Frankliniella occidentalis attractant is used in cooperation with a blue LED lamp, the number of attracted insects is the maximum. The method can trap and kill female and male Frankliniella occidentalis at the same time, can reduce the harm to a certain extent, and is beneficial to reducing the use amount of pesticides, protecting natural enemies and protecting the environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of green control of agricultural pests, specifically involving a method for attracting western flower thrips based on attractants combined with LED lights and its application. Background Technology

[0002] The western flower thrips, *Frankliniella occidentalis* (Pergande), belongs to the genus *Frankliniella* in the family Thripidae of the order Thysanoptera. It is an important global invasive pest. Western flower thrips are omnivorous and have a very wide host range, currently known to damage more than 500 plant species, including tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, cabbages, strawberries, grapes, cotton, and chrysanthemums, covering various categories of vegetables, fruits, grains, and flowers. Western flower thrips have an extremely high reproductive rate and a short life cycle; under stable greenhouse conditions, they can have 12-15 generations per year. This insect feeds on plant sap using its rasping-sucking mouthparts, causing wilting and dropping of flowers, wrinkled leaves, and brown spots on fruits, ultimately potentially leading to plant death or loss of commercial value. Furthermore, western flower thrips can transmit various viruses, including tomato spot virus, causing indirect damage and significant economic losses.

[0003] In my country's agricultural production, chemical control is the primary method for managing western flower thrips. However, the unscientific use of chemical pesticides can easily lead to increased pesticide resistance in western flower thrips, environmental pollution, and food safety issues. Furthermore, the insect's strong concealment ability affects the effectiveness of pesticides. Currently, there are reports of periodically releasing natural enemies such as small flower bugs to control western flower thrips. However, this method has drawbacks such as high technical requirements and significant susceptibility to environmental conditions. Therefore, further research and development of green control technologies for western flower thrips is needed. Our preliminary experiments found that an attractant (composed of p-methoxybenzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, and ethyl nicotinate in a mass ratio of 3:1:1) has a strong attraction effect on western flower thrips. Based on this, we developed a method combining this attractant with LED lights of different colors to attract western flower thrips. This method improves the attraction effect and contributes to enriching green control technologies for western flower thrips. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for attracting western flower thrips based on an attractant combined with an LED light and its application, so as to improve the attraction effect of the attractant on western flower thrips.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, we formulated an attractant by mixing p-methoxybenzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, and ethyl nicotinate in a mass ratio of 3:1:1, and then used this attractant in combination with red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and white LED lights. Based on this, we developed a method for trapping and killing western flower thrips by combining the attractant with LED lights.

[0006] The present invention discloses a method for attracting western flower thrips based on an attractant combined with an LED light, which consists of a western flower thrips attractant and an LED light;

[0007] Preferably, the method for attracting western flower thrips based on attractant combined with LED light disclosed in this invention consists of western flower thrips attractant and blue or green LED light;

[0008] More preferably, the method for attracting western flower thrips based on an attractant combined with an LED light disclosed in this invention consists of a western flower thrips attractant and a blue LED light.

[0009] When applying, place the rubber head containing the western flower thrips attractant onto the sticky insect board, fix the sticky insect board to the light source trap, and hang it in the greenhouse or field.

[0010] The method for attracting western flower thrips based on attractants combined with LED lights provided by this invention can steadily increase the number of western flower thrips attracted by the attractant and enhance its field control effect on western flower thrips. Detailed Implementation

[0011] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific experiments.

[0012] The method used in the western flower thrips trapping experiment, as described above, involved preparing an attractant by mixing p-methoxybenzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, and ethyl nicotinate in a mass ratio of 3:1:1. Rubber heads carrying the western flower thrips attractant were placed on sticky insect boards, which were then fixed to traps with different colored light sources (red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and white), suspended slightly above the height of the cucumber plants. The field experiment was conducted from June 5th to July 3rd, 2025, in Longhua Village, Dingxing County, Baoding City, Hebei Province. A greenhouse cucumber field with uniform growth and consistent management was selected as the experimental area. The spacing between the traps was no less than 5 meters. The number of adult western flower thrips trapped was investigated every week after setup to evaluate the experimental effect. The experiment included six implementation examples, with three replicates for each treatment. A trap without light sources and only containing the attractant served as a control, comparing the attraction effect of using the attractant and light source in combination on western flower thrips.

[0013] The specific field trapping effects are as follows:

[0014] Table 1

[0015] Example deal with Trapping quantity (heads / barrel / week) 1 Red light + attractant 29.58±3.83b 2 Yellow light + attractant 39.67±2.30b 3 Green light + attractant 51.08±4.71a 4 Blue light + attractant 59.17±4.59a 5 Purple light + attractant 34.83±3.21b 6 White light + attractant 38.92±3.73b — lures 33.08±2.77b — Sticky insect boards 5.42±0.92c

[0016] Note: The trapping numbers in the table are expressed as mean ± standard error; the data were obtained using Duncan's multiple comparison method, and different lowercase letters indicate significant differences (P < 0.05).

[0017] The experimental results show that:

[0018] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the attractant described in this invention can attract a certain number of western flower thrips. The effect of the attractant combined with LED lights shows that red, yellow, purple, and white lights have little effect on the attraction quantity, while the attractant combined with blue and green LED lights significantly increases the attraction quantity of western flower thrips. The highest number of insects attracted was 59.17 ± 4.59 per bucket when the attractant was used with blue LED lights. Specific implementation through field cases demonstrates that the method of using the attractant in conjunction with LED lights can simultaneously attract and kill both male and female western flower thrips, which can reduce their damage to a certain extent, help reduce pesticide use, protect natural enemies, and protect the environment.

[0019] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for trapping and killing western flower thrips, characterized in that, The method described is based on attracting western flower thrips using an attractant combined with LED lights.

2. The western flower thrips attractant as described in claim 1 is prepared from p-methoxybenzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde and ethyl nicotinate in a mass ratio of 3:1:

1.

3. The method of using bait to kill western flower thrips as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When used in the field, simply place the rubber head containing the western flower thrips attractant onto the sticky insect board and fix the sticky insect board onto the light source trap.