Phenylacetaldehyde: a chemical attractant for common green lacewings (Chrysoperla carnea s.l., Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

At five sites in Hungary and Italy, traps baited with phenylacetaldehyde caught significantly higher numbers (10 to 100 times more) of green lacewings than unbaited traps, which demonstrates that this compound is an attractant. Traps with three bait dispensers usually caught more than those with one dispenser, but the difference was significant only at two out of five test sites. There was no difference in the numbers caught by sticky delta and funnel traps baited with phenylacetaldehyde. However, funnel traps could be adapted to catch living green lacewings. The vast majority of the specimens belonged to the Chrysoperla carnea species complex. Ch. carnea sensu lato dominated the catches at all sites. At some sites 3–11% of the insects caught were Ch. lucasina Lacroix. Phenylacetaldehyde-baited traps were attractive to both sexes, but generally more females were caught than males. Funnel traps baited with three dispensers of phenylacetaldehyde caught green lacewing adults throughout the season in Hungary.