Sex Pheromone Trapping for Red-Banded Leaf Roller Control: Theoretical and Actual12

A program for calculating theoretical control of mating by sex pheromone trapping was written with the following variable parameters: size of insect population, number of pheromone traps, emergence profile of the insect (with and without protandry), average life span of insect, and shape of the survival curve. Data from actual pheromone trapping experiments in both high and low populations of red-banded leaf roller moths, Argyrotaenia velutinana (Walker), are analyzed with the program using parameters best suited for this insect. New fold-up traps and a synergized pheromone solution were used for these experiments. The pheromone trap appears to be at least twice as competitive as live female traps. Theoretical control for the summer moth flights was 48% for the high population and 99% for the low population. Records of fruit injury showed 32% damage in the 1st and 0% in the 2nd orchard. No migration was indicated into the controlled orchard. The success in controlling a low population for 1 year gives hope that this method can become a practical tool in control programs.