Flight and oviposition behavior of <i>Ephestia cautella</i> and <i>Plodia interpunctella</i> in response to odors of different chocolate products

Abstract:
The present study is included in a project with the aim to develop attractants from food odors for trapping female moths. Males and mated, but not unmated, females of Ephestia cautella and Plodia interpunctella were attracted by odors of three different chocolate products in flight tunnel experiments. Chocolate containing nut or rum elicited upwind flight and landing responses. Extracts of the chocolate products induced upwind flight in both species and both sexes. Larvae of the tested species survived best in plain chocolate (E. cautella) or nut-containing chocolate (P. interpunctella). The oviposition preference of P. interpunctella females seems to be highly adaptive, since females oviposited in the diet most suitable for larval feeding, whereas E. cautella females showed a less selective oviposition preference, between the diets tested.