Effects of SPLAT® GM sprayable pheromone formulation on gypsy moth mating success

• Published in: Entomologia experimentalis et applicata Vol. 136; no. 2; pp. 109 - 115
• Main Authors: Onufrieva, Ksenia S, Thorpe, Kevin W, Hickman, Andrea D, Tobin, Patrick C, Leonard, Donna S, Anderson Roberts, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2010; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Control; disparlure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Integrated pest control; Lepidoptera; Lymantria dispar; Lymantriidae; mating disruption; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; plastic flakes; Protozoa. Invertebrates; sprayable formulation; Lymantriidae; plastic flakes; Mating disruption; Insecta; disparlure; sprayable formulation; Sex pheromone analogue; Pest; Arthropoda; Formulation; Lepidoptera; Breeding success; Attractive trap; Invertebrata; Integrated pest management; Lymantria dispar; Semiochemicals
• ISSN: 0013-8703; 1570-7458
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1570-7458.2010.01009.x

Several integrated pest management programs rely on the use of mating disruption tactics to control insect pests. Some programs specifically target non-native species, such as the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). We evaluated SPLAT® GM, a new sprayable formulation of the gypsy moth sex pheromone disparlure, for its ability to disrupt gypsy moth mating. The study was conducted in 2006, 2007, and 2008 in forested areas in Virginia, USA. Mating success of gypsy moth females was reduced by >99% and male moth catches in pheromone-baited traps by >90%, in plots treated with SPLAT® GM at dosages ranging from 15 to 75 g of active ingredient (a.i.) ha⁻¹. Dosage-response tests conducted in 2008 indicated that SPLAT® GM applied at a dosage of 7.5 g a.i. ha⁻¹ was as effective as a 15 g a.i. ha⁻¹ dosage.