Agriotes species: Comparison of species composition in pheromone trap catcheswith larval bait trap catches at the same site

Abstract: In 2007 and 2008 several reportedly Agriotes infested sites in Lower and UpperAustria were selected. At each site, bait traps were placed in the soil to check for the presence ofthe agricultural harmful larvae. The larvae were determined with molecular methods; onlyAgriotes ustulatus was determined with morphological methods. At the same sites pheromonetraps were placed and after 2 weeks their content was determined. The focus was on the five, inliterature described as most harmful, species in Austria (Agriotes ustulatus, Agriotes sputator,Agriotes brevis, Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes lineatus). Interestingly, Agriotes lineatus larvaewere very rare to totally absent in all the sites, which is contradictory to the adult catches. Due tothese findings, the assumption that pheromone trap catches reflect the larval population cannot bemade. Further studies analysing the origin of the beetles caught in the pheromone traps may helpto understand this discrepancy.