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

Abstract

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.