Combining pheromone‐baited and food‐baited traps for insect pest control: Effects of additional control by parasitoids

Abstract

Summary Two age‐structured population dynamic models are analyzed in which pheromone‐baited trapping and food‐baited trapping are used simultaneously to eradicate an insect pest. The pest species is assumed to be under partial control by a host‐specific parasitoid species. The two models assume that density‐dependent population regulation is accomplished either by host larval competition or by means of oviposition interference among the parasitoids. The two trap types interact in a positive synergistic manner and this combination appears to be very promising as a useful combination of pest control methods. Several features of the system are examined; the feature which appears to cause the greatest problem is the possibility of the parasitoids being attracted to the pheromone or the food traps. In either case, the degree of attraction does not have to be very great to undermine the control effort. It is seen that food trapping becomes indispensible if host pheromone is used by the parasitoids as a host‐locating kairomone. If odor in the food traps is used by the parasitoids as kairomone, then the situation appears more optimistic, as the reduction in efficiency of the food traps appears much less than with the pheromone traps when pheromone acts as kairomone.

Combining pheromone‐baited and food‐baited traps for insect pest control: Effects of developmental period

“…There should exist an optimum combination of pheromone and food trapping for any given pest population. This optimum will depend on many factors, such as the relative costs of the two trapping methods (Barclay and Li, 1991), the fecundity and survivoship schedules of the pest species, the developmental period, the strength of the population regulation, the extent of immigration of fertilized pests, any changes in trap efficiency with pest density and any significant interactions with other species such as competitors and natural enemies (Barclay, 1991). This optimum must be determined for each pest problem individually, and obviously that requires considerable knowledge of the pest species and other interacting species.…”