Influence of Holding Temperature and Irradiation on Field Performance of Mass-RearedThaumatotibia leucotreta(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Abstract

Abstract The sterile insect technique (SIT) is as an important component to the area-wide integrated management of the false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), which was successfully implemented in the Western Cape region of South Africa and subsequently expanded to citrus areas in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. This integrated control program, which transports sterile moths from a rearing facility in Citrusdal, South Africa to orchards in both the Western and Eastern Cape, must continuously examine production, handling, processing, transport, and release protocols to ensure the delivery of high-quality sterile moths. While the use of cold temperature to immobilize moths is standard protocol for SIT programs to increase the density of moths for purposes of collecting, handling, irradiation, transport and release, some concern has been raised that rapid chilling and long cold temperature storage of moths may negatively impact field performance of some ins...