Field studies with the synthetic sex pheromone and inhibitor of the red bollworm Diparopsis castanea Hmps. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in Malawi

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Sex Pheromone ◽  
Corn Oil ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Baited Traps ◽  
Pheromone Concentration ◽  
Synthetic Sex Pheromone ◽  
Close Range ◽  
Trap Catches ◽  
Lepidoptera Noctuidae

AbstractThe synthetic sex pheromone of Diparopsis castanea Hmps., dicastalure, is a 4:1 synergistic combination of 93% trans:7% cis-9,11-dodecadien-1-yl acetate (IV) and the unattractive compound 11-dodecen-1-yl acetate (IIB). Both cis and trans-9-dodecen-1-yl acetate (IIA), the latter occurring in the female pheromone gland, are potent inhibitors of male attraction, as little as 10–4 mg IIA significantly reducing the attractiveness of virgin females in pheromone traps for more than one month in the field. Inhibition is typically close range, although higher concentrations are inhibitory when placed at up to 1 m from the female. IV and IIB also reduce male catch in female-baited traps, but dicastalure does not. Recently mated females, confined with virgins, reduce male catch, thereby indicating release of an unknown inhibitor. When formulated in a suitable extender, such as corn-oil, dicastalure may be released from sealed polyethylene vials or from cellulose acetate cigarette filters, and inclusion of the antioxidant 2:6-di-tort-butyl-p-cresol (BHT) prolongs the attractiveness of 1 mg dicastalure formulations beyond 25–30 days. Release from polyethylene is more efficient than from either polypropylene or cellulose and moth catch over a five-week period is linearly related to the logarithm of pheromone concentration. Significant communication disruption, as measured by reduced trap catches of male Diparopsis, occurred when female-baited traps in 100 m2 cotton plots were surrounded by point sources of either dicastalure (synthetic females) or the inhibitory IIA acetate (anti-females). Since dicastalure is occasionally less attractive than virgin females, efforts are being made to improve pheromone slow release formulations.

The influence of behaviour modifying chemicals on mating success of the red bollworm Diparopsis castanea Hmps. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in Malawi

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Sex Pheromone ◽  
Sexual Attraction ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Pheromone Trap ◽  
Cotton Field ◽  
Field Cage ◽  
Synthetic Sex Pheromone ◽  
Trap Catches ◽  
First Time ◽  
Lepidoptera Noctuidae

AbstractThe synthetic sex pheromone (dicastalure) of the red bollworm of cotton, Diparopsis castanea Hmps., in Central and Southern Africa, and an inhibitor of male sexual attraction (trans-9-dodecenyl acetate,=IIA), were used in an enclosed 0·2 ha cotton field-cage to reduce successful female matings. Over one month dicastalure at 21·0 and 42·3 g/ha produced average reductions in mating of 47·9% and 72·5% respectively and 37·9 g IIA/ha produced an overall reduction in mating of 71·5%, or 79·5% in released moth populations, over the same period. The proportion of virgin females present in disruption situations was significantly greater than in untreated populations and was density-independent for moth populations of up to 2 200/ha. The proportion of fertile eggs in disruption situations was correspondingly reduced to 30·2% from an average of 67·9% in control cycles. Reduction in sex pheromone trap catches is an unsatisfactory indicator of the extent to which males are prevented from inseminating females and considerably over-estimates the true degree of disruption. This is the first time that a naturally occurring inhibitor has been used successfully to disrupt mating in a field population of insects and it indicates the potential of the method for the control of high density pest populations in cotton. However, use of polyethylene dispensing mechanisms similar to those used in the field-cage disruption experiments would be unsuitable as a practical method of dispensing behaviour modifying chemicals and it is suggested that, for suitably controlled release of such chemicals, currently available microencapsulation technology offers the best prospects.

EVALUATION OF PHEROMONE-BAITED TRAPS AND PHEROMONE LURE CONCENTRATIONS FOR MONITORING BLUEBERRY LEAFTIER (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) POPULATIONS

1992 ◽  
Vol 124 (5) ◽  
pp. 815-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sridhar Polavarapu ◽  
William D. Seabrook
Keyword(s):  
Ice Cream ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Pheromone Trap ◽  
Mass Trapping ◽  
Trap Design ◽  
Baited Traps ◽  
Pheromone Concentration ◽  
Coefficients Of Variation ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Trap Catches

AbstractSix pheromone trap designs, including five high-capacily and a sticky trap, and four PVC lure concentrations of pheromone were evaluated for monitoring blueberry leaftier populations in six blueberry fields in Nova Scotia. Larval densities and subsequent male moth catches in the same year for all the trap designs evaluated, except double funnel traps, were highly correlated. Multipher III traps captured the highest number of moths, followed by Unitraps and double funnel traps. The ice cream container trap captured significantly fewer moths than any other trap design. At most locations, the first moth was caught on the same day in all the trap designs except the ice cream container trap. Trap catches increased with increasing pheromone concentration up to 0.03% dose. Traps baited with 0.3% lures captured significantly fewer moths than those with 0.003% or 0.03%. Based on mean trap catches, R2 values, coefficients of variation among traps, trap efficiency, and lure evaluations, the Unitraps baited with 0.003% lures are selected for further development of a population monitoring system for blueberry leaftier moths. The Multipher III traps baited with 0.03% lures captured up to 44 000 male moths (mean per trap per season) at high densities, demonstrating their potential in mass trapping blueberry leaftiers.

The incidence and distribution of the armyworms Mythimna convecta (walker) and Persectania spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and their parasitoids in major agricultural districts of Victoria, south-eastern australia

1986 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. McDonald ◽  
A. M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Light Trapping ◽  
Light Trap ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Regular Sampling ◽  
Trap Catches ◽  
Lepidoptera Noctuidae

AbstractField studies of Mythimna convecta (Walker), Persectania ewingii (Westwood) and P. dyscrita Common, and their associated parasitoids, were conducted in cereals and pastures in Victoria, Australia, in 1980–83. The study included a survey of the armyworm fauna in the major agricultural districts, detailed phenological studies within five oat crops, and ultraviolet-light trapping of adults. M. convecta was the most abundant species in cereals and was found more commonly in the warmer months of spring and summer in all districts. Larval development in oat crops during spring was preceded by little moth activity in light traps. P. ewingii was common in the southern districts and in the cooler months from May to September. It was the most prevalent armyworm species in pastures and rarely occurred in barley. P. dyscrita was the least abundant species and occurred mostly in the drier inland areas, particularly in the west. Light-trap catches of P. ewingii and P. dyscrita suggested there were two generations, one in spring and one in the autumn. Regular sampling in oat crops showed that M. convecta developed faster and was usually more abundant than P. ewingii during seed development and ripening, and hence had the potential to inflict more crop damage. Of the 17 species of parasitoids reared from field-collected larvae, the wasp Campoletis sp. was the most abundant. In 1980–82, average parasitism ranged from 13 to 16% but fell to 2% after the drought of 1982.

The influence of pheromone trap design and placement on catch of the red bollworm of cotton Diparopsis castanea Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

1978 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Sex Pheromone ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Pheromone Trap ◽  
Trap Design ◽  
Baited Traps ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Cotton Fields ◽  
Monitoring Traps ◽  
Monitoring Trap ◽  
Lepidoptera Noctuidae

AbstractThree suitable sex pheromone trap designs for trapping the red bofiworm of cotton, Diparopsis castanea Hmps., including a simple omnidirectional monitoring trap, are described. In trials in Malawi, Diparopsis was more readily trapped on open horizontal trapping surfaces (water or adhesive) than in enclosed types of traps. The presence of a roof above the trapping surface, at spacings of up to 20 cm, significantly reduced catches. White traps, or unpainted traps in the case of vane traps constructed from galvanised metal, caught more moths than traps of other colours. Catches were greatest when monitoring traps in cotton were placed at ground level or at a height of 0·5 m and, when dicastalure was released from polyethylene vials, by employing a trap 60 cm in diameter. Evidence was obtained that competition may exist between female-baited traps spaced up to 73 m apart, although catches in traps baited with dicastalure were not significantly different when traps were 40–60 m apart. The greatest catches of moths in cotton were in traps located in insecticide-sprayed fields, but moths were also trapped in considerable numbers in other crops and to a reduced extent in open areas 4·8 km from the nearest cotton. From about the end of February, catches in maize, groundnut and fallow areas frequently exceeded the catches recorded within cotton fields, which may indicate an increased dispersal flight from cotton by adult moths later in the season. Weekly replacement in monitoring traps of polyethylene vials containing dicastalure produced maximum moth catches, but there was no significant difference in catch between traps in which pheromone was replaced at intervals of 2, 3, 4 or 6 weeks.

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

1995 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C.A. Downham ◽  
L.J. McVeigh ◽  
G.M. Moawad
Keyword(s):  
Sex Pheromone ◽  
Spodoptera Littoralis ◽  
Pheromone Trap ◽  
Field Investigation ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Control Technique ◽  
Trap Catch ◽  
Male Mortality ◽  
Repeated Applications ◽  
Trap Catches

AbstractA 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 S. littoralis with pyrethroid insecticide, λ-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 polyvinyl-chloride 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 eggmasses found in experimental areas. Mating levels and trap-catch in treatment plots were siginificantly 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 egg-masses 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.

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