Author
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Landolt, Peter |
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Submitted to: Washington State Horticulture Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2002 Publication Date: 11/15/2003 Citation: Landolt, P.J. 2003. Lacanobia moths: why monitor them when you can just kill them? Washington State Horticulture Association Proceedings. 98:119-124. Interpretive Summary: New methods and approaches are needed to control insect pests of tree fruits with reduced use of pesticides that are harmful to human health or the environment. Researchers at the USDA-ARS laboratory in Wapato, Washington are developing new applications with chemical attractants for insect pests of apple, including the Lacanobia fruitworm, as part of a program to develop pest monitoring and management methods. A bait station was developed that minimizes insecticide use by attracting the moth to a target coated with an insecticide formulation. In field tests, this bait station reduced numbers Lacanobia fruitworm moths in orchard plots by 50 to 80%, when deployed at 50 per acre. These results provide a possible new approach and technology to replace insectice cover sprays with a technique that minimizes pesticide use and contact between pesticide and the crop. Technical Abstract: A bait station was developed for use against Lacanobia fruitworm, made of a badminton shuttlecock coated with a Teflon grease with 6% Permethrin. A lure releasing the feeding attractant of acetic acid and 3-methyl-1-butanol was placed at the base of the shuttlecock. At a rate of 50 bait stations per acre, numbers of Lacanobia fruitworm moths were significantly reduced in apple orchard plots, compared to unbaited plots. Reductions in moth numbers were documented using feeding attractant traps and blacklight traps that captured both male and female moths. Suppression of moth numbers was evident up to 3 weeks after bait stations were deployed and bait stations remained effective in laboratory assays after 3 weeks exposure in the field. |
