Sex pheromone identification, spectral sensitivity, and colour preferences of select native and invasive click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in Canada

My objectives were (1) to identify the sex pheromones of the click beetles Agriotes ferrugineipennis and A. mancus (Coleoptera: Elateridae), (2) analyze the spectral sensitivity of nine elaterids in electrophysiological recordings, and (3) analyze the color preference of two invasive Agriotes species in field and laboratory-behavioural bioassays. Captures of A. ferrugineipennis males in traps baited with 7-Methyloctyl 7-methyloctanoate exceeded those of unbaited control traps, on average by nearly 1,200 times. While in a second experiment, lures containing geranyl butanoate and geranyl hexanoate captured significantly more A. mancus males than the unbaited controls. All beetles proved most sensitive to green (515–538 nm) and ultra-violet (UV) light (~360 nm) and in four-choice bioassay arenas beetles were preferentially attracted to green and blue LEDs. In field experiments, Vernon Pitfall Traps® fitted with a green, blue or white LED captured significantly more male and female Agriotes lineatus and A. obscurus than dark control traps.