author(s)
CB Dhobi and TM Bharpoda

abstract
An experiment was conducted under field condition at B. A. College of Agriculture, AAU, Anand during 2013-2015 to determine the efficacy of different lures (baits) of pitfall trap against the activity of soil arthropods in Bt cotton (RCH- 2 BG-II) by using Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three repetitions. Bait containing Sugar (50% conc.) + Water in a pitfall trap captured significantly the highest individuals of arthropods/animals (21.97/trap/week) followed by Pitfall trap + Kerosene (17.94). Pitfall traps baited with mixtures of propylene glycol and water (1:3) (13.88) and Pitfall traps baited with Cereals + mixtures of ethylene glycol and water (1:3) (13.88) were equally effective. Pitfall traps baited with water only was found ineffective (9.97). A total 30 species belonging to the ten insect orders viz., Dermaptera (Earwigs), Grylloblattidae (Cricket), Isoptera (Termite), Hemiptera (Red cotton bug, Stink bug), Coleoptera (Ground beetle, Rhinoceros beetle, Dung roller, Myllocerous weevil), Diptera (Technid fly), Lepidoptera (Tobacco leaf eating caterpillar and Hairy caterpillar larva, Sphinx moth, Grapevine moth), Hymenoptera (Red ant, Yellow jacket wasp), Orthoptera (Grass hopper, Mole cricket) and Phasmida (Stick insects); and Araneida (spiders), chilopoda (centipedes), Scorpiones, Anura (frog) and Rodentia (mouse) were recorded in different baits of pitfall trap during two cropping seasons of Bt cotton.