Female‐targeted attractant containing pear ester for Synanthedon myopaeformis

Abstract

When testing pear ester (ethyl‐2,4‐decadienoate) + acetic acid (PEAA) lures to catch codling moths, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in Hungary, significant catches of the apple clearwing moth, Synanthedon myopaeformis (Borkhausen) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), were also recorded. This sesiid is one of the most important pests of apple in Europe. Pear ester plus acetic acid lures were attractive to S. myopaeformis no matter whether the two compounds were provided in separate dispensers or mixed together in a single dispenser, and a large percentage (40–80%) of the clearwing moths caught were females. In all cases, traps baited with binary combinations of PEAA caught far more than traps baited with either of the compounds presented alone. Traps with PEAA lures in some tests caught (females and males together) up to ca. 20% of the catch in traps baited with the synthetic apple clearwing moth sex attractant (all males). Consequently, the PEAA lure shows potential for future practical applications as a female‐targeted lure. To our knowledge, this is the first report of attractiveness of a lure containing pear ester for non‐tortricid Lepidoptera. Our finding suggests that the compound may be exploited as a host location stimulus by a wider array of insects than was indicated previously.

Monitoring of the Red-Belted Clearwing Moth,Synanthedon myopaeformis, and its ParasitoidLiotryphon crassisetain Apple Orchards in Yellow Moericke Traps

“…The most recent research done in Hungary (Tóth et al 2012) indicated that lures with pear ester and acetic acid (PEAA) were attractive to S. myopaeformis no matter whether the two compounds were provided in separate dispensers or mixed together in a single dispenser, and a large percentage (40– 80%) of S. myopaeformis caught were females. However, the results of the present study yielded a better-founded sex ratio than those that used PEAA as an additional attractant.…”

“…Failure to prevent injury to S. myopaeformis can lead to reduced tree vigor and yield, and infested trees are much more vulnerable to infestations of fungal diseases such as canker (Iren et al 1984). Control methods include targeting larvae with insecticides of the pyrethroid group (deltarnetrine (Decis 2,5EC) and alphacypermetrin (Fastac 100EC)) or other chemicals such as motor oil (Erler 2010) and pear ester with acetic acid (Tóth et al 2012). More natural methods based on biological control include bacteria (Shehata et al 1999), nematodes (Kahounova 1991), and fungi (Cossentine 2010).…”

Microlepidoptera caught in traps baited with lures containing pear ester and acetic acid in Hungary

“…Considering their responses to PE being synergized by the addition of AA, both Y. scabrella and N. trimaculana appear to be similar to the tortricids C. pomonella (Landolt et al, 2007), C. splendana (Jósvai et al, 2016b), H. nubiferana (Jósvai et al, 2016a) and to the sesiid S. myopaeformis (Tóth et al, 2012). Consequently, the number of families where field activity of PE has been demonstrated increased to three.…”

“…The following four treatments were compared in each experiment: PE on its own (6 mg, on rubber or polyethylene bag dispenser); AA on its own (400 mg; in polyethylene bag dispenser); PE (6 mg) and AA (400 mg) loaded into the same polyethylene bag dispenser and unbaited traps. The composition of PE and AA at this ratio was reported to be effective for some pest moths in earlier experiments (Tóth et al, 2012(Tóth et al, , 2014Jósvai and Tóth, 2015). Synthetic PE (98% general purity, minimum 92% isomeric purity) was purchased from Bedoukian (Danbury, CT), while AA (purity 96%) was obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (Budapest, Hungary).…”

“…Previous results with acetic acid tested against other pests showed that this type of dispenser was active for several weeks of field exposure (i.e. Tóth et al, 2002Tóth et al, , 2012Tóth et al, , 2014; hence, we decided to renew the lures at 2 to 3-week intervals. Rubber dispensers (for PE): Lures for the tests were prepared by using pieces of rubber tubing (No.…”