Field investigation of an attracticide control technique using the sex pheromone of the Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

A series of trials examining the feasibility of an attracticide technique for control of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) are described. The technique combined the sex pheromone of 5. littoralis with the pyrethroid insecticide, A.-cyhalothrin, in 500 point-sources/ha at low rates of application of both components. It was envisaged that male moths would be attracted to contact the sources and subsequently suffer lethal or sub-lethal effects which would prevent mating. The pheromone was applied either as a sprayable microencapsulated (MC) formulation or in polyvinylchloride lures; emulsifiable concentrate and MC formulations of the insecticide were employed. Treatments were assessed by monitoring pheromone trap catches, mating of tethered females and, in one trial, numbers of egg-masses found in experimental areas. Mating levels and trap-catch in treatment plots were significantly reduced, compared to controls, for periods up to 5 and 24 nights after treatment, respectively. However despite a continuous period of mating suppression, achieved by repeated applications, no treatment-related reduction in eggmasses was observed. Two trials compared attracticide with mating-disruption treatments in which the insecticide was omitted. Similar levels of mating and trap-catch suppression were observed in the two treatments. It was concluded that the mating suppression observed in attracticide plots was due principally to disruption of chemical communication between the sexes, not to male mortality arising from contact with the insecticide sources. None of the attracticide treatments represented a viable control technique. Other practical and theoretical considerations arising from the results are discussed.

Initial Development of an Attracticide Formulation Against the Oriental Fruit Moth, <I>Grapholita molesta</I> (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

“…"Attract and Kill" technology that incorporates an attractant and a killing agent (attracticide) has been investigated against several lepidopteran pests. To date, lepidopteran attracticides have combined synthetic sex pheromones with pyrethroid insecticides that achieve a rapid knockdown effect (Butler and Las 1983, Haynes et al 1986, Miller et al 1990, Downham et al 1995, Charmillot et al 1996, Charmillot and Hofer 1997, Charmillot et al 2000, Krupke et al 2002. A recent attracticide formulation consists of a viscous paste that incorporates insecticide and attractant material in a UV sensitive carrier material (Hofer and Brassel 1992).…”

Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris) and Pandemis pyrusana Kearfott (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Male Control in Washington State (USA) Apple Orchards Treated with Different Source Densities of Several Attracticide Formulations

“…Two reasons that seem most plausible to explain these results are: either the m a l e s w e r e k i l l e d b y c o n t a c t w i t h t h e attracticide or were inhibited from locating the trap because of some male disruption effect as described by Jones (1998). Both explanations are possible and were proposed previously to explain the results of attracticide treatments in other field studies, targeting other species (Miller et al, 1990;Downham et al, 1995;Krupke, 1999;Suckling and Brockerhoff, 1999;Charmillot et al, 2000).…”

Is attract‐and‐kill technology potent against insecticide‐resistant Lepidoptera?

“…9 The insecticides usually chosen for association with an attractant are pyrethroids, which combine high effectiveness and knock‐down effects 7. 10 Different attract‐and‐kill formulations have been tested in the field conditions against C pomonella and provided satisfactory control 11. 12 This new pest‐control method is expected to limit the risk of resistance because of reduced selection pressure 13.…”