Performance and selectivity of floral attractant-baited traps targeted for cetoniin scarabs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Central and Southern Europe

Trapping tests were performed concurrently in several countries of Central and Southern Europe throughout the spring and summer of 2008, to study the selectivity and performance of floral attractant-baited traps developed for catching Epicometis (Tropinota) hirta Poda (CA-baited traps), Cetonia a. aurata L./Potosia (Protaetia) cuprea Fabr. (ME-baited traps) or Oxythyrea funesta Poda (PH-baited traps) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae). Amongst the species caught, E. hirta showed strongest attraction to the CA-baited and ME-baited traps. O. funesta was mostly caught by PH-baited traps. In capturing C. a. aurata and P. cuprea, the ME-baited trap appeared to be the most efficient. At two sites in Italy, a related scarab, Tropinota squalida Scop. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), was attracted in similar numbers to both CA-baited and ME-baited traps. For the scarab Valgus hemipterus L. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Valginae), ME-baited traps proved to be the most attractive.Of the scarabs coming to the CA-baited trap, E. hirta was the most abundant, except at the two Italian sites where large percentages were shown to be T. squalida. The most abundant species in the catch by the PH-baited trap was O. funesta, although at some sites, C. a. aurata and E. hirta were captured in sizeable numbers. ME-baited traps caught mostly C. a. aurata at sites with large C. a. aurata populations, whereas at sites with low populations, good numbers of E. hirta or T. squalida were caught.