Testing an attracticide hollow fibre formulation for control of Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Laboratory and field tests were conducted to evaluate the use of an experimental sprayable formulation of chopped hollow fibres loaded with codlemone and mixed with 1.0% esfenvalerate and an adhesive to control codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Moths were not repelled by the addition of the insecticide to the adhesive and were rapidly killed following brief contact. A significantly greater proportion of male moths flew upwind and contacted individual fibres for a longer period of time when fibres had been aged > 7 d versus fibres 0 – 7 days-old in flight tunnel tests. Field tests using sentinel fibres placed in 10.0 mg drops of adhesive on plastic disks stapled to the tree found that fibres were not touched until they had aged > 8 d. Conversely, moth mortality following a 3-s exposure to field-collected fibres deposited on the top of leaves was low in bioassays with fibres aged > 8 d. The deposition and adhesion of fibres within the apple canopy appear to be two major factors influencing the success of this approach. Fibres were found adhering to foliage, fruit, and bark within the orchard; however, visual recovery of fibres following each of the three applications was < 5.0%. Both the substrate and the positioning of the fibre on the substrate influenced fibre retention. The highest proportion of fibres was found initially on the upper surface of leaves and this position also had the highest level of fibre retention. Fibres on the underside of leaves or partially hanging off of a substrate were dislodged within two weeks

Oviposition and Calling Behavior of Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the Presence of Codlemone

The effect of the major component of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) sex pheromone (codlemone, E,E-8,10-dodecadien-l-ol) on female calling and oviposition behavior was investigated. Calling by virgin females was similar between moths placed in sealed containers containing codlemone or codlemone-free air. However, when pheromone emitted by females was removed by a continuous air stream, calling in codlemone-permeated air was significantly higher than in clean air. The temporal pattern of calling was unaltered by the presence of codlemone. In a laboratory no-choice test, oviposition rates by codling moth females were similar in the presence of codlemone and in codlemone-free air. However, in paired-choice tests, females deposited more eggs on uncontaminated waxed paper surfaces than on codlemone-contaminated surfaces

Influence of Trap Colour on the Capture of Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Honeybees, and Non-target Flies

Studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of trap colour on the captures of honeybees, Apis mellifera L., codling moth, Cydia pomonella L., and non target muscoid flies in sticky delta traps. Traps varied widely in their spectral reflectance. The unpainted white and the painted white and cream traps had the highest reflectance. The painted green trap had the lowest total reflectance. The green, orange, and red traps had low reflectance at wavelengths < 560 nm. Red and green painted traps consistently caught the fewest honeybees, while the unpainted white trap caught the most. Red painted traps caught the greatest number of flies. Significantly more codling moths were caught in green and orange versus the unpainted white traps. In a later experiment, painted green traps caught more codling moths than unpainted white traps