Population fluctuation of adults of <I>Opsiphanes cassina</I> Felder (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), in oil palm plantations, (<I>Elaeis guineensis</I> Jacq.) in Monagas State, Venezuela.

Abstract

From August 2000 to November 2002, an investigation was conducted with the purpose of determine the adults population fluctuation of Opsiphanes cassina Felder (Split-banded owlet) in three oil palm plantations (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in Monagas State, Venezuela: Palmas de Oriente (Palorica), Palmaveral and El Ãguila. The experimental area were 10 ha, where it was quantified weekly the capture of moths using 20 traps, which were prepared with an elaborated suspension with 1 L of molasses, 15 g of yeast, 10 g urea dissolved in ½ L of water.In each evaluation was determined the total moths in MTD (moths/tramp/day). In the farms Palorica and Palmaveral, the populations of insect showed a similarity number of generations per year five and half (5.5); while in the El Ãguila were six (6); the population raises were during the months January, March, May, July, September and November. The lapse of presence of adults in the field for the different generations, were variable to four to seven weeks.