Control of Pink Bollworm Moth (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) with Insecticides and Pheromones (Attracticide): Lethal and Sublethal Effects

Abstract

Effectiveness of combinations of insecticides with pheromones (attracticides) for control of Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) may depend on, among other factors, males freely contacting attracticide sources, insecticide-induced mortality, and sublethal interference with the mate-locating sequence in poisoned males. In flight-tunnel tests, males readily contacted pheromone sources containing permethrin, fenvalerate, or cypermethrin and suffered significant mortality. Moreover, after 24 h survivors were lesslikely to complete the normal behavioral sequence involved in sex pheromone-mediated mate location. The latter sublethal effects may contribute substantially to the effectiveness of the attracticide technique at the doses of insecticides used in the field. Cypermethrin induced lethal and sublethal effects at a lower concentration than other insecticides tested. Chlordimeform appears to be a poor candidate for attracticide formulations because males avoided contact with this insecticide. Recovery from sublethal effects of cypermethrin occurred after 48 h, and represents a potential limitation to sublethal modification of behavior for population control. However, repeated contact with a moderate concentration of permethrin attracticide enhanced sublethal and lethal effects.