Assessment of the Capture Status of Orius laevigatus and Creontiades pallidus on Yellow and Blue Sticky Traps with Varying Hues in Biologically Managed Pepper Greenhouses

Abstract

The application of commercially available beneficial organisms has yielded significant success in the biological control of pest species in greenhouse pepper cultivation. Among these, Orius laevigatus Fieber is widely utilized within integrated pest management (IPM) programs to suppress populations of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), a major pest in greenhouse-grown peppers. In addition to biological agents, yellow and blue sticky traps are commonly employed in pepper greenhouses, primarily targeting thrips and whiteflies. However, these color-based traps can inadvertently capture non-target organisms, including beneficial predatory insects such as O. laevigatus. This study aimed to assess the capture status of O. laevigatus and the pest species Creontiades pallidus (Rambur) which can cause substantial fruit damage, particularly in greenhouses relying on biological control on sticky traps of varying hues of yellow and blue. The research was conducted in two commercial pepper greenhouses located in Antalya Province during the 2022 and 2023 growing seasons. A total of six trap color variants—three distinct hues each of yellow and blue—were deployed vertically on plants, replaced weekly and the number of individuals captured on each trap was recorded. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with four replications, employing 24 traps per week. Statistical analysis revealed a significant effect of trap hue on O. laevigatus captures (P < 0.01), whereas no statistically significant effect was observed for C. pallidus. According to data from both years, the highest number of O. laevigatus individuals was recorded on light blue traps. These findings suggest that the use of light blue sticky traps should be avoided in biologically managed greenhouses to prevent unintended losses of beneficial predator populations. Moreover, analysis of thrips captured on blue traps and whiteflies on yellow traps indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the number of individuals captured among the different hues of each color.