BACKGROUND: Public opposition to aerial application of sex pheromone for mating disruption of light-brown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Walk.), in California stopped its further use in the ca $74 million eradication programme in 2008, underscoring the need for other eradication tactics. It is demonstrated that pheromone-treated sterile Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies), Ceratitis capitata Wied., can disrupt communication in male moths. RESULTS: Medflies topically dosed with moth pheromone (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate showed a no observed effect level (NOEL) of ~10 µg fly(-1) , with increasing toxicity from 30 to 100 µg fly(-1) . Greater potency and longevity of attraction and lower mortality were achieved using microencapsulated pheromone. Releases of 1000 pheromone-treated medflies ha(-1) prevented male moth catch to synthetic lures in treated 4 ha plots for 1 day in suburban Perth, Australia. Releases of ca 3000 pheromone-treated medflies ha(-1) disrupted catch to single female moths in delta traps, and to synthetic pheromone lures. Percentage disruption on the first four nights was 95, 91, 82 and 85%. CONCLUSIONS: Disruption of moth catch using pheromone-treated medflies is a novel development that, with future improvement, might provide a socially acceptable approach for application of the insect mating disruption technique to control invasive insects in urban environments. Adequacy of payload and other issues require resolution.
BACKGROUND: Public opposition to aerial application of sex pheromone for mating disruption of light-brown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Walk.), in California stopped its further use in the ca $74 million eradication programme in 2008, underscoring the need for other eradication tactics. It is demonstrated that pheromone-treated sterile Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies), Ceratitis capitata Wied., can disrupt communication in male moths. RESULTS: Medflies topically dosed with moth pheromone (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate showed a no observed effect level (NOEL) of ~10 µg fly(-1) , with increasing toxicity from 30 to 100 µg fly(-1) . Greater potency and longevity of attraction and lower mortality were achieved using microencapsulated pheromone. Releases of 1000 pheromone-treated medflies ha(-1) prevented male moth catch to synthetic lures in treated 4 ha plots for 1 day in suburban Perth, Australia. Releases of ca 3000 pheromone-treated medflies ha(-1) disrupted catch to single female moths in delta traps, and to synthetic pheromone lures. Percentage disruption on the first four nights was 95, 91, 82 and 85%. CONCLUSIONS: Disruption of moth catch using pheromone-treated medflies is a novel development that, with future improvement, might provide a socially acceptable approach for application of the insect mating disruption technique to control invasive insects in urban environments. Adequacy of payload and other issues require resolution.
Authors: Matthew S Siderhurst; Eric B Jang; Lori A F N Carvalho; Janice T Nagata; Nathan T Derstine Journal: J Insect Sci Date: 2015-06-15 Impact factor: 1.857
Authors: Mónica Ordax; Jaime E Piquer-Salcedo; Ricardo D Santander; Beatriz Sabater-Muñoz; Elena G Biosca; María M López; Ester Marco-Noales Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-05-15 Impact factor: 3.240