ABSTRACT: Orchard shade netting is commonly used in Washington State to protect apples from sunburn. Shade netting may also act as a physical barrier to colonization by pest insects and may interfere with the dispersal of pest insects and those intentionally released under netted orchards. Sterile Cydia pomonella (L.) were released into commercial apple orchards with shade net to compare their dispersion under nets 2.4 m high, 6.1 m high, and in orchards without nets. Recapture of released sterile C. pomonella was suppressed by both tested net heights compared to open orchards. Population aggregation increased as net height and tree canopy became closer. Sterile C. pomonella were recaptured at all trap distances in orchard plots with both net heights and in open orchards indicating that their direction of dispersion was random. The compatibility of the sterile insect technique for C. pomonella and protective netting is discussed.</p
