Attraction of insects to potato plants through use of artificial honeydews and aphid juice

Three field experiments were conducted to determine the attractiveness of artificial honeydews and aphid juice to insects. Honeydew mixtures were composed of molasses, honey and tryptophane alone or combined with Feed-Wheast^®, (produced by culturing the yeastKluyveromyces fragilis Jorgensen on cottage cheese whey). Potato plants,Solanum tuberosum L., treated with sprays of these mixtures attracted the following predatory insects: green lacewings,Chrysopa carnea Stephens; ladybird beetlesHippodamia spp.,Coccinella transversoguttata Brown,Scymnus postpinctus Casey; andGeocoris pallens Stal.Lygus hesperus Knight, a phytophagous species was also attracted. Honey and tryptophane were the most attractive to all species. Aphid juice was attractive to several predators but not to lygus bugs. Orientation through olfactory response was indicated for ladybird beetles and lygus bugs. The predatory species attracted are important in the natural control of potato insects. The attraction ofL. hesperus to artificial honeydews may be useful in the control of this pest.