ARS | Publication request: TWO NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN MONITORING CODLING MOTH: BETTER LONG-LIVED LURES AND A NOVEL BISEXUAL ATTRACTANT

Submitted to: Washington State Horticulture Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: December 10, 1999
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The sex pheromone of codling moth has been used to monitor populations for nearly 30 years. Captures of male moths in traps have been used effectively to establish action thresholds and to time control actions. Lures with higher loads are used to monitor populations in pheromone-treated orchards. Historically, red rubber septa have been used as the substrate for both the regular and high load lures, but sulphur-cured rubber is a poor substrate for codling moths pheromone and lures must be replaced every 2-3 weeks. Fortunately, new, long-lived lures have been developed and were tested this summer. Our data showed that the new Super Lure (Pherotech) and Mega Lure(Trece) are both effective for 10 weeks. A second problem with the current monitoring program with codling moth is that we are forced to make assumptions about the timing and magnitude of the emergence, mating, and oviposition of female moths based on captures of the opposite sex. Efforts to monitor female moths with interception, light, or bait traps have been made but none of these methods is as easy, specific, and inexpensive as the use of sex pheromone- baited traps. Thus these sampling methods are generally not used.