The effectiveness of traps used currently for monitoring populations of the cabbage root fly (Delia radicum)

Six different types of traps were compared for capturing adults of Delia radicum. Cone traps caught so few flies that it seems inadvisable for them to be used for monitoring populations of this pest. All the other traps tested were suitable for monitoring D. radicum populations. When expressed on a trap for trap basis, the large 1800 cm² Canadian traps caught most flies. When expressed as the numbers of flies caughthnit area of trapping surface, most flies were caught in the water traps. Similar numbers of D. radicum, D. platura, syrphids, blowflies and a tachinid, Eriothrix rufomaculatus were caught per unit area on each of three different vertical sticky traps. Although water traps have the advantage that they catch about 5 times as many females D. radicum/unit area as the most effective vertical sticky traps of a comparable size, their disadvantage is that they catch about 10 times as many beneficial syrphids. The reasons why water traps are so effective against D. radicum are discussed, with details of how to convert water-trap data to sticky-trap equivalents, and vice versa.