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Lepidoptera are among the most severe pests of food and fibre crops in the world and are mainly controlled using broad spectrum insecticides. This does not lead to environmentally sustainable control and farmers are demanding alternative control tools which are both effective and friendly to the environment. The sterile insect technique (SIT), within an area‐wide integrated pest management (AW‐IPM) approach, has proven to be a powerful control tactic for the creation of pest‐free areas or areas of low pest prevalence. Improving the quality of laboratory‐reared moths would increase the efficacy of released sterile moths applied in AW‐IPM programmes that integrate the (SIT). Factors that might affect the quality and field performance of released sterile moths are identified and characterized in this study. Some tools and methods to measure, predict and enhance moth quality are described such as tests for moth quality, female moth trapping systems, ‘smart’ traps, machine vision for recording behaviour, marking techniques, and release technologies. Methods of enhancing rearing systems are discussed with a view to selecting and preserving useful genetic traits that improve field performance.

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Three commercially available entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) strains (Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Hb1 and Hb2) and two local species (S. jeffreyense and S. yirgalemense) were evaluated for the control of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella). In field spray trials, the use of S. jeffreyense resulted in the most effective control (67%), followed by H. bacteriophora (Hb1) (42%) and S. yirgalemense (41%). Laboratory bioassays using spray application in simulated field conditions indicate S. feltiae to be the most virulent (67%), followed by S. yirgalemense (58%). A laboratory comparison of the infection and penetration rate of the different strains showed that, at 14°C, all EPN strains resulted in slower codling moth mortality than they did at 25°C. After 48 h, 98% mortality was recorded for all species involved. However, the washed codling moth larvae, cool-treated (at 14°C) with S. feltiae or S. yirgalemense, resulted in 100% mortality 24 h later at room temperature, whereas codling moth larvae treated with the two H. bacteriophora strains resulted in 68% and 54% control, respectively. At 14°C, S. feltiae had the highest average penetration rate of 20 IJs/larva, followed by S. yirgalemense, with 14 IJs/larva. At 25°C, S. yirgalemense had the highest penetration rate, with 39 IJs/larva, followed by S. feltiae, with 9 IJs/larva. This study highlights the biocontrol potential of S. jeffreyense, as well as confirming that S. feltiae is a cold-active nematode, whereas the other three EPN isolates tested prefer warmer temperatures.