Implementation of a Pest Monitoring Network for Vegetable Growers in Yuma County

Abstract

An insect pest monitoring network spanning the major growing areas in Yuma was implemented in 1998-1999. This project was designed to measure the relative activity and movement of adult populations during the growing season and provide important information to growers and PCA’s. A series of pheromonebaited and yellow sticky traps were placed in 11 locations among the growing areas in the Yuma, Gila and Dome Valleys in Yuma county. Numbers of adults / trap /night were recorded weekly from September-April. Seasonal differences in insect species activity and abundance among locations were observed, but difficult to precisely explain because of the lack of historical trap data. Information gathered from the trapping network will provide historical baseline data for pest activity on an area wide basis from which relationships between insect trap captures and seasonal factors that influence their activity and abundance may be explained. The results of the monitoring network during the 1998-1999 growing season for is provided in this report.