Attraction and fecundity of adult codling moth, Cydia pomonella, as influenced by methoxyfenozide‐treated electrostatic powder

Abstract

AbstractThe attractiveness and responsiveness of adult codling moths, Cydia pomonella (L.), exposed to EntostatTM powder with or without the ecdysteroid agonist, methoxyfenozide, were investigated in a flight tunnel. Coating males with either EntostatTM powder alone or powder plus methoxyfenozide 1 or 24 h prior to flight tunnel assays did not influence the mean percentages of males successfully orienting to a female‐equivalent lure relative to unexposed control moths. The fecundity of females paired with males exposed to EntostatTM powder plus methoxyfenozide was significantly lower than that for females paired with unexposed males. This reduction in egg output was similar to that observed when methoxyfenozide‐treated females were paired with untreated males, indicating that males can successfully pass methoxyfenozide to their partners during copulation. However, EntostatTM powder alone carried by male moths did not affect female fecundity after mating. EntostatTM powder has the potential to carry pesticides for C. pomonella control by autodissemination.