Advances in the Female Adult Pheromone Traps for Sustainable Control of Bagworms

Bagworms, particularly Metisa plana, Pteroma pendula and Mahasena corbetti, are among the most serious defoliating pests infesting oil palm plantations in Malaysia. Outbreaks can cause severe yield losses if left unchecked. Conventional chemical control methods pose environmental risks, so alternative strategies are needed. This study investigates the progress of optimising the efficacy of using live female adults as bait for mass trapping of male moths to break the mating cycle and reduce subsequent larval populations. The results showed a significant correlation between the capture of male moths, the occurrence of eggs and the decline in populations of bagworms. The trap design has been progressively optimised from the vane trap, to single plane trap and finally to quad trap. In many field trials, mass trapping with live female adults has been proven effective and can be an instrumental component of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies in oil palm plantations. Keywords: Bagworms, pheromone traps, IPM.