Raspberry beetle Byturus tomentosus: flight monitoring with semiochemical traps

Abstract: The raspberry beetle, Byturus tomentosus, is a major pest of Swiss raspberries. In 2008, in the frame of an international cooperation with UK, Norway and France the flight activity of the raspberry beetle has been monitored for the first time in the Swiss Alps with the semiochemical trap (floral attractant) and non-sticky funnel trap developed in Scotland by SCRI. Early results show an irregular attractiveness of the trap. The traps were installed before flowering at the beginning of June and were immediately attractive for 2 weeks. Then the catch of raspberry beetles decreased till end of July. A second important flight activity pattern was observed at the end of July and at the beginning of August. Fruit analysis showed that there was a gradient in the percentage of damaged fruits. Around the traps the damage was about 1% but the average of the whole plot was 5% in one plot and 9% in the second one with semiochemical traps. Neighbouring woods with wild Rubus sp. and other wild hosts near the plot could explain high raspberry beetle populations. This monitoring will continue for three years.