Abstract

The behavioural effects on Choristoneura rosaceana Harris and Pandemis pyrusana Kearfott male moths of permethrin added into a grease matrix containing the female sex pheromone for each species (i.e. an attracticide) were studied. Attracticides containing 0.16%, 1.6%, or 16% pheromone for each species were tested with or without insecticide (6% permethrin). Male moths responded similarly in indoor wind tunnel bioassays and field trials, as measured by source contacts and trap captures respectively, to formulations containing different concentrations (0.16%, 1.6%, or 16%) of pheromone regardless of the presence or absence of permethrin. C. rosaceana trap catches per trap/day increased with pheromone dose, 0.025±0.025 at 0.16% pheromone, 0.75±0.13 (1.6%) and 2.60±0.64 (16%), compared with 0.025±0.025 (0.16%); 0.55±0.12 (1.6%); 2.18±0.46 (16%) without permethrin. Similar results were obtained for P. pyrusana. Overall, the results indicated that the attracticides loaded with 6% permethrin had no behavioural effects on C. rosaceana and P. pyrusana male moths. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.