Demonstration and Characterization of a Persistent Pheromone Lure for the Navel Orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

The lack of an effective pheromone lure has made it difficult to monitor and manage the navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in the economically important crops in which it is the primary insect pest. A series of experiments was conducted to demonstrate and characterize a practical synthetic pheromone lure for capturing navel orangeworm males. Traps baited with lures prepared with 1 or 2 mg of a three- or four-component formulation captured similar numbers of males. The fluctuation over time in the number of males captured in traps baited with the pheromone lure correlated significantly with males captured in female-baited traps. Traps baited with the pheromone lure usually did not capture as many males as traps baited with unmated females, and the ratio of males trapped with pheromone to males trapped with females varied between crops and with abundance. The pheromone lure described improves the ability of pest managers to detect and monitor navel orangeworm efficiently and may improve management and decrease insecticide treatments applied as a precaution against damage. Awareness of differences between male interaction with the pheromone lure and calling females, as shown in these data, will be important as further studies and experience determine how best to use this lure for pest management.

Harnessing Insect–Microbe Chemical Communications To Control Insect Pests of Agricultural Systems

“…Notably, the navel orangeworm larvae chew through developing seed coats and introduce toxigenic Aspergillus species, which are responsible for the production of aflatoxins in developing nuts. Only recently has progress been made with a pheromone-based attractant and a host-plant-based attractant for monitoring adult navel orangeworm populations. The key compound in this blend, the spiroketal component conophthorin, 4 (Figure ), was thought to be produced by the almond host plant.…”

“…Chemical cues, including plant volatiles and insect pheromones, have been successfully translated for application in agricultural control and monitoring and have enhanced agricultural sustainability. 1 Examples include navel orangeworm pheromone lure 23 and host-plant attractant blend 24 and codling moth kairomone. 19…”

Effect of Storage of Pheromone Lures forAmyelois transitella: Field Performance and Compound Ratios

“…The necessity to present compounds with very different volatility complicated initial efforts to produce a practical lure (Higbee et al 2014). These difficulties were overcome, however, and a lure was commercially introduced in 2013 (NOW Biolure, Suterra LLC, Bend, Oregon, USA) (Higbee et al 2014;Burks and Higbee 2015). A second manufacturer introduced 2 additional pheromone lures in 2015.…”

Diel Periodicity in Males of the Navel Orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as Revealed by Automated Camera Traps

“…This previous study ( Landolt and Curtis 1982 ) collected mating timing data for both sexes, but this work was inherently centered on female diel patterns. Synthetic sex pheromone lures were not available until recently ( Higbee et al 2014 ), so the researchers had to use caged female moths as the source of sex pheromone. Consequently, the male responses observed were dependent on female calling behavior ( Landolt and Curtis 1982 ).…”