Male Moth Catches Research Articles

Lure specificity, phenology, and damage caused by Epiphyas moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Western Australian apple orchards.

Multiple Epiphyas species inhabit southwestern Western Australia, including Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a globally significant, polyphagous pest. This study evaluated the efficacy and specificity of lures designed for 3 Epiphyas species: E. postvittana, Epiphyas pulla (Turner), and the undescribed Epiphyas sp. (1) (Common). Additionally, the study sought to determine the presence and distribution of Epiphyas species in 3 significant apple-growing localities. Trapping, together with partial sequencing of the mitochondrial COI gene, found LBAM to be restricted to the Perth Hills and E. pulla, to apple orchards near Manjimup and Pemberton. This geographic disjunction remains unexplained. Epiphyas sp. (1) was not recorded despite using a specifically designed lure. The E. pulla and LBAM traps demonstrated superior efficacy in capturing their target species, while the catch in Epiphyas sp. (1) traps did not significantly differ between the 2. Both E. pulla and LBAM exhibited peak abundance from late spring to the end of summer (October-February), with variations in timing and peak catch of male moths across species, locations, and years. Surveys conducted in April during the harvest period (February-May), when moth traps caught an average of 1-1.8 moths/trap/week, found no Epiphyas larvae or damage on 140,400 mature apples or on 26,000 leaves. While E. pulla and LBAM traps effectively monitor their target moths, genetic identification of trap catch would be necessary if they co-occurred. Encouragingly, the results indicate that both species become relatively rare as harvest season approaches, and neither inflicts significant damage to mature apples under existing management.

Development of Temporal Model for Forecasting of Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidopetra) Using Arima and Artificial Neural Networks.

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Noctuidae: Lepidopetra) is a polyphagous pest of major crops grown in India. To prevent the damage caused by H. armigera farmers rely heavily on insecticides of diverse groups on a regular basis which is not a benign practice, environmentally and economically. To provide more efficient and accurate information on timely application of insecticides, this research was aimed to develop a forecast model to predict population dynamics of pod borer using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). The data used in this study were collected from the randomly installed sex pheromone traps at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Hyderabad. Several ARIMA (p, d, q) (P, D, Q) and ANN models were developed using the historical trap catch data. ARIMA model (1,0,1), (1,0,2) with minimal BIC, RMSE, MAPE, MAE, and MASE values and higher R2 value (0.53) was selected as the best ARIMA fit model, and neural network (7-30-1) was found to be the best fit to predict the catches of male moths of pod borer from September 2021 to August 2023. A comparative analysis performed between the ARIMA and ANN, shows that the ANN based on feed forward neural networks is best suited for effective pest prediction. With the developed ARIMA model, it would be easier to predict H. armigera adult population dynamics round the year and timely intervention of control measures can be followed by appropriate decision-making schedule for insecticide application.

Population Dynamics of Spodoptera exigua (F.) and S. litura (F.) in Soybean

This study on the population dynamics of Spodoptera exigua (F.) and S. litura (F.) in soybean was done with observations made from 10 days after germination of the crop for two years. The results revealed that these pests are more abundant from July to August- Spodoptera litura (F.) occurred from the first week of July with occurrence of adults increasing with the growing season, and ending with the maturity of the crop. Amongst the current, 1st lag and 2nd lag week weather parameters, the occurrence of adults of S. exigua revealed a significant positive correlation with minimum temperature (r=0.716), evening relative humidity- RH (r=0.535), sunshine (0.621) and wind speed (0.661). Maximum temperature and wind speed exhibited a significant negative correlation with incidence of males of S. litura whereas, morning and evening RH were positively correlated with the incidence at 1-lag and 2-lag weeks. The incidence of larvae of S. litura was significantly influenced by morning RH (r=0.783) in the 2-lag week. The regression equation indicated that an increase in 1 mm rainfall decreased the male moth catches of S. exigua; while, incidence of larva was significantly affected with increase in 1% of morning RH; and incidence of S. litura larvae was related with maximum temperature of 1oC.

Disruption of Chemical Communication of Synanthedon tenuis (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) by Sex Pheromone Dispensers in Sweet Persimmon Orchards

Pheromone-based techniques are becoming a viable strategy of insect pest management as facilitated by the exponential increase in numbers of pheromone identifications from many insect pests. This is the report on the efficacy of pheromone-mediated chemical communication disruption (PCD) technique against the Korean population of smaller clearwing moths, Synanthedon tenuis (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) using its female sex pheromone component, (Z, Z )-3, 13-octadecadien-1-ol. The PCD trials were carried out four times during 2016 and 2017 in persimmon orchards located at Suncheon and Jinju Cities in Korea, and the PCD efficacy was expressed as the mean differences in the seasonal catches of S. tenuis males in the PCD and control plots. The seasonal male moth catches in monitoring traps installed in the PCD plots were significantly lower as compared with those installed in the control plots. Consequently, the PCD efficacy in the experimental orchards ranged from 95.2-100% with an average efficacy of 98.8 ± 1.2%, revealing a future possibility of pheromone-based management of S. tenuis.

Identification of the Female-Produced Sex Pheromone of the Dotted White Geometrid Naxa seriaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).

The dotted white geometrid moth, Naxa seriaria Motschulsky (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), is a pest of Oleaceae in Korea, Japan, and China. In this study, we identified (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-heneicosapentaene (C-21 pentaene) as the only compound in extracts of the pheromone glands of female N. seriaria causing a response from receptors on the antennae of males in analyses by gas chromatography with electroantennographic detection. The synthetic sex pheromone elicited dose-dependent electrophysiological responses from antennae of male N. seriaria. In field tests, more male moths were captured in traps baited with synthetic C-21 pentaene than in unbaited traps, and increasing the loading of C-21 pentaene in the lure increased catches of male moths. Significantly more male N. seriaria moths were caught in delta traps than in bucket traps. Based on these results, C-21 pentaene is proposed to be the major, if not the only, component of the sex pheromone of N. seriaria.

Assessment of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) Adult Population in Chickpea using Weather Based Indices

Background: Chickpea is the second most important pulse crop grown globally, it is damaged by over 50 insect species in different parts of the world, of which gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) poses serious threat to production. Temperature is one of the important abiotic factor influencing the growth and development of an organism, degree day (DD) models are very useful in pest predictions as development of insects and plants is temperature-dependent and can predict the biological phenomenon with greater accuracy. Methods: H. armigera adult population at different chickpea phenological stages viz., from emergence to maturity stage was assessed using the weather based indices viz., growing degree days (GDD) and heliothermal units (HTU) during rabi 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Results: At different chickpea phenological stages the pest population varied from 0 to 66.3, 0 to 256 and 0 to 124 with respective cumulative population of 148, 555 and 167 male moth catches during three consecutive seasons. Among different phenological stages, highest population was recorded during both pod formation and crop maturity stage during 2015-16 and 2017-18, while in 2016-17 it was maximum during 50 per cent flowering and maturity stage. Among the three seasons, the GDD and cumulative male moth trap catches were found to be highest during 2016-17. The relationship of GDD and HTU with H. armigera was analysed through linear regression and they accounted for 64 and 71 per cent variation respectively in pest population across the seasons. The weather based indices viz., GDD and HTU may thus be useful for predicting H. armigera adult population at different chickpea phenological stages.

POSSIBILITY FOR CONTROL OF PLUM FRUIT MOTH GRAPHOLITA FUNEBRANA TR. BY PHEROMONE DISPENSERS

The plum fruit moth, Grapholita (syn. Cydia) funebrana on (Tr.), is an important and the most difficult pest to control in plum orchards. The larvae feed fruits and cause damages from early summer till have harvest time. For a long time, pest management in stone fruit orchards in Bulgaria relied on organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides. Considering environmental concerns the eco-friendly means of control, alternative to chemical insecticides are urgently needed. The ecological approach imposes a wider application of the methods of pest management that decrease or completely eliminate the use of chemicals polluting the environment within the integrated fruit production systems. Mating disruption (MD) is a promising solution for control of different pests, particularly plum fruit moth. The possibilities for reducing the number of treatments with chemical insecticides against pests in plum orchards of Bulgaria using synthetic sex pheromones have been studied. The trials were carried out in an isolated 2.5-ha private plum orchard in three consecutive years 2017-2019. Catches of male moths in pheromone traps were almost completely inhibited in the MD block, whereas they were numerous in the reference, conventionally treated orchard during all years of study. Isomate OFM TT dispensers, installed before the first flight of G. funebrana males, reduced fruit damage significantly. The percentage of fruits containing plum fruit moth larvae was below the Economic Injury Level (EIL). The positive results obtained in this study indicate that mating disruption for control of plum fruit moth may be an effective alternative to conventional (pesticide) treatments.

Estimation and validation of developmental thresholds and thermal requirements for cotton pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella

The developmental thresholds and thermal requirements of pink bollworm were estimated using laboratory data on its development at six constant temperatures from 15 °C to 38 °C. The results were validated using field data on male moth catches in sex pheromone traps baited with gossyplure recorded at Nagpur (Maharashtra) during 2018 for predicting the initiation of moth emergence and completion of generation events. The theoretical lower and upper threshold temperatures estimated using non–linear Sharpe and DeMichele model applied to mean development rates were: 14.17/35.43, 15.18/35.48, 11.00/35.48 and 13.40/35.50 °C, and the thermal requirements estimated as inverse of slope of linear regression were: 72.99, 285.71, 144.92 and 503.62° days for development of eggs, larvae, pupae and egg – adult emergence, respectively. Simulation of life table parameters provided reasonably closer estimates across the tested locations. The estimated lower and upper threshold temperatures accumulated the heat units (489.90–497.90) closer to the laboratory estimates (503.62 DD) and sensibly predicted the developmental events in pink bollworm with ±1.0 day error of margin under field conditions. The estimated thresholds and thermal requirements may help in comprehending seasonal dynamics of pink bollworm in relation to timings of developmental events like beginning and peaks of moth emergence, oviposition and egg hatching. This could facilitate in undertaking timely pest management actions such as insecticidal applications.

Influence of summer weather on prevalence of rice yellow stem-borer in central India: Monitoring and biocontrol strategy

Abstract Light and pheromone trap-catches of yellow stem-borer (YSB) [Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker)] were monitored in low-land rice during summer 2017 in the Chhattisgarh, India region to develop biological control management strategies for areas with low winter temperatures. High catches of males and females in light trap started during March 05 to 11th, 2017, in association with 8.5% dead-heart symptom, indicative of YSB damage to the central shoot, which continued during May 14 to 20th, 2017 and, thereafter declined. Male moth catches in pheromone traps started during the same time as in light trap and peaked from May 07 to 13th, 2017. White ear, due to YSB causing empty panicles in the ear-bearing stage, appeared during April 23rd to 29th, 2017 and reached a peak of 22.8% during May 21st to 27th, 2017. Increase of temperature coupled with reduction of relative humidity and scanty rainfall were favourable to the multiplication of YSB and trap catches in summer rice.These data are helpful for planning biological control against YSB in rice during the Chhattisgarh summer.

Monitoring codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with a four‐component volatile blend compared to a sex pheromone‐based blend

AbstractMonitoring adult codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), is a crucial component in implementing effective integrated management programmes in apple, Malus domestica Borkhausen. Use of sex pheromone lures to track male populations has been the traditional approach, but their use in orchards treated with sex pheromone for mating disruption (MD) has been problematic. Development of kairomone and kairomone–pheromone combination lures has allowed the catch of female moths and has benefited several aspects of codling moth management through improved spray timings and action thresholds. Recently, a new four‐component volatile blend (4‐K) comprised of pear ester, (E,Z)‐2,4‐ethyl decadienoate (PE), (E)‐11 4,8‐dimethyl‐1,3,7‐nonatriene, all isomers of pyranoid linalool oxide and acetic acid (AA) has been characterized that has increased female moth catch threefold versus any previous blend. Field trapping studies were conducted to compare moth catches in traps baited with 4‐K versus the use of sex pheromone, (E,E)‐8,10‐dodecadien‐1‐ol (PH) in combination with PE and AA. Trials were conducted in orchards left either untreated, or treated with PH or PH + PE. Traps baited with 4‐K and 4‐K + PH lures caught significantly more females than traps baited with PH + PE + AA lures. Traps baited with 4‐K + PH lures caught significantly more total moths than traps baited with PH + PE + AA lures in all three orchards. Adding a PH lure to traps with the 4‐K lure did not affect female catch, but significantly increased male and total moth catches. These studies demonstrate that codling moth can be trapped effectively in apple under MD without the use of sex pheromone lures. The significant increase in female codling moth catch with the 4‐K lure suggests that efforts to improve spray timings and action threshold determinations as well as mass trapping might be enhanced with this new lure.

Leafroller-induced phenylacetonitrile and acetic acid attract adult Lobesia botrana in European vineyards.

We recently identified unique caterpillar-induced plant volatile compounds emitted from apple leaves infested with the larvae of various leafroller species. In subsequent field tests, binary blends of phenylacetonitrile+acetic acid and 2-phenylethanol+acetic acid were found to be attractive to a range of tortricid leafroller species (Tortricidae: Tortricinae) in both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. In this work, the caterpillar-induced plant volatiles from the apple-leafroller system were tested in two vineyards in Spain and Hungary for their attractiveness to the grape frugivore Lobesia botrana (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae). As seen for Tortricinae species, a binary blend of phenylacetonitrile+acetic acid attracted significantly more male and female L. botrana to traps than acetic acid or blank lures. Traps baited with other caterpillar-induced plant volatile compounds (benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, indole, and (E)-nerolidol, each as a binary blend with acetic acid) did not catch significantly more moths than traps containing acetic acid alone. The catches of male and female moths support an optimistic future for new products in female tortricid surveillance and control that are based on combinations of kairomone compounds released from larval-damaged foliage.

Monitoring of cotton pink bollworm Pectinophora Gossypiella with nova agritech pheromone

An experiment was carried out during kharif, 2017 in cotton to evaluate the efficacy of Nova Agritech pheromone lure ((Z, Z)-7, 11-hexadecadienyl acetate, (Z, E)-7, 11-hexadecadienyl acetate) against the pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). Results revealed that the catches of male moths started from September with a peak in the 3rd and 4th week of December. These preliminary observations with Nova Agritech pheromone lure suggest that it is an effective attractant for males and could be used for monitoring of populations.

Importance of trap liner adhesive selection for male moth catch (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with bisexual attractants

AbstractStudies compared moth captures of three pests (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) of apple, Malus domestica Borkhausen, in delta traps using removable liners coated with either a sticky gel (SG) or a hot‐melt pressure sensitive (HMPS) adhesive. Laboratory and field studies with Cydia pomonella (L.), Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris) and Grapholita molesta (Busck) demonstrated that traps with either liner, baited with a pair of virgin females catch males, but at significantly different levels. In the field, male moth captures in traps with the HMPS liner were significantly greater than in traps with the SG liner for C. rosaceana, and G. molesta; but not for C. pomonella. Similar results were observed in laboratory studies using flight tunnels. Additional studies demonstrated that this difference in moth captures between liners was not due to levels of female mortality, but instead was correlated with the occurrence of the female's ventral abdominal surface becoming stuck in the adhesive. Studies showed that a significantly greater proportion of females of all species had their ventral abdomen stuck in the SG than HPMS adhesive on day 1, but only G. molesta and C. rosaceana on day 3. In addition, the tackiness of the two adhesives affected moth movement on the liner with males and females of all species moving farther on liners with SG than HMPS adhesive. A greater proportion of female G. molesta and C. pomonella were either stuck supined or laterally on the SG than HMPS adhesive, and females in this position captured as many males as when prone and unstuck on the liner. Our studies demonstrate that adhesives can secondarily influence male moth captures on trap liners when used with bisexual attractants, and that adhesive type should be considered when developing action thresholds.

Spatial distribution, sampling efficiency and Taylor's power law

1. A relationship between sampling efficiency and Taylor's power law (TPL) is derived and illustrated with data from gypsy moth samples taken in Pennsylvania.2. It is shown that attractant traps such as pheromone and light traps may exhibit density‐dependent sampling efficiency which can influence the parameters of TPL.3. Comparison of the light trap and pheromone trap sample data with those of a standardised suction trap enables the attractant traps to be standardised.4. Rescaling male moth catches per trap to number per unit volume increases the slope, intercept and correlation coefficient while stretching the pattern of data points.5. Density‐dependent sampling efficiency of attractant traps shows how TPL is sensitive to spatial aggregation behaviour as well as other life‐history variables.

Development of kairomone-based lures and traps targeting Spilonota ocellana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in apple orchards treated with sex pheromones

AbstractSpilonota ocellana (Denis and Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) can be a serious pest of organic apples (Malus domestica Borkhausen (Rosaceae)) in British Columbia, Canada. Recent discovery that S. ocellana moths are attracted by a lure combining acetic acid (AA) and benzyl nitrile (BN), identified as a caterpillar-induced apple leaf volatile, provides an opportunity to develop bisexual mass-trapping or monitoring systems. Sticky white delta traps baited with benzyl nitrile (10 mg/red rubber septum) and an acetic-acid co-lure (3 mL AA/3-mm open 8-mL vial) caught significantly more moths than either component alone. Acetic-acid co-lures were weakly attractive but benzyl-nitrile-loaded septa were not attractive. Moth catches with AA+BN lures were unaffected by the size and type of rubber septum used to release benzyl nitrile, but catches increased with increasing loads of benzyl nitrile. Male and total moth catches were maximised using membrane release devices loaded with a mixture of benzyl nitrile and a second caterpillar-induced volatile, 2-phenylethanol (PET), in combination with an acetic-acid co-lure (AA+BN-PET). Female catches with AA+BN-PET and AA+BN lures were equivalent. Placing AA+BN lures in traps baited with female sex pheromone lures reduced male catches, but female catches were unchanged. When sticky liners were replaced weekly, white delta traps baited with AA+BN lures caught more moths than similarly baited white Multipher®-I bucket traps, or transparent UnitrapsTM. Multipher-I traps with a propylene glycol killing agent (250 mL) caught more moths than those with Vapona insecticide strips. In apple orchards treated with mating disruption sex pheromones, traps baited with AA+BN caught slightly more total moths than traps baited with sex pheromone. Weekly, total male+female moth catches with either AA+BN or sex pheromone lures showed similar seasonal patterns in both untreated and pheromone-disrupted orchards, respectively. Long-lasting release devices and an organic killing agent are needed to develop certified organic mass-trapping technologies for management of S. ocellana with the AA+BN kairomone.

Multi-layer perceptron based neural network model predicting maximum severity of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) on groundnut in relation to climate for Dharwad region of Karnataka (India)

A multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network model for predicting adult moth population of tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) in groundnut cropping system of Dharwad (Karnataka) was developed and tested using the long term (24 years : 1990-2013) trap catches of the pest and weather data of Kharif season [26 to 44 standard meteorological weeks (SMW)]. The weekly male moth catches of S. litura during maximum severity observed at 34 SMW was modelled using the weather parameters viz., maximum temperature (C), minimum temperature (°C), rainfall (mm) and morning and afternoon relative humidity (%) lagged by two weeks. The principle component analysis was performed using meteorological data of preceding two weeks (32 and 33 SMW) in order to create fewer linearly independent factors. Five principal component scores which together accounted for 90 per cent of variations in data were used as input variables for neural network model. A MLP neural network with five input nodes and one hidden layer consisting of eleven hidden nodes was found to be suitable in terms of adequacy measures for modelling the population dynamics of S. litura. While data sets of 1990-2009 were used for developing the model, data of four seasons (2010-2013) were used for testing and validation. The performance of the model was assessed in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The validation results clearly showed that the neural network based model is effective in dealing with the apparently random behaviour of the S. litura dynamics on groundnut.

Catches of male olive moths, Prays oleae, in pheromone traps in relation to numbers of eggs and larvae found in olive fruits, in Crete

In two groves of the Chania area, male olive moths, Prays oleae (Bernard) (Lepidoptera: Hyponomeutidae), caught in pheromone traps and eggs and young larvae in young fruits were counted weekly or daily in May, June and July. At Mournies, the first rise in the curve of male captures was observed during the last week of May with a maximum on the 18th in 1980 and on the 10th of June in 1981, and the last captures at the end of June-beginning of July. At Chrysopigi, the maximum of captures in 1981 was on the 5th of June. In all instances the time of maximal moth captures coincided with peaks in oviposition activity, followed after an interval of two weeks by peaks in the number of young larvae found in the fruits.

Addition of Pear Ester With Sex Pheromone Enhances Disruption of Mating by Female Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Walnut Orchards Treated with Meso Dispensers.

We evaluated the low-density application of 50 dispensers per hectare, in contrast to the traditional >800 dispensers per hectare in apple orchards, to achieve disruption of communication of adult codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), in walnuts, Juglans regia (L.), using several methods. These methods included cumulative catches of male moths in traps baited with sex pheromone (Ph) or codlemone, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol, or a combination of codlemone, pear ester (PE), ethyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate, and acetic acid, and by examining the mating status of females. These data were collected from 2011-2014 in nontreated plots and in similar plots treated with Meso dispensers loaded with codlemone (Ph Meso) or codlemone and PE (Ph + PE Meso). Male moth captures in both the Ph and combination lure traps reduced by 88-96% and 72 to 77%, respectively, compared with traps in the nontreated plots. A significantly higher proportion of female moths were nonmated in plots treated with Ph + PE Meso dispensers (33%) than in plots treated with Ph Meso (18-26%), or left nontreated (13%). In addition, significantly fewer multiple-mated females were trapped in the Ph + PE Meso-treated plots (6%) than in either Ph Meso-treated (13-18%) or nontreated plots (23%). These data suggest that the addition of PE can effectively improve Ph-based disruption of C. pomonella in walnut orchards. In addition, these data suggest that the use of low-density hand-applied dispensers can be an effective and lower-cost approach to manage this pest in the large canopy presented by walnut orchards.

Predicting the severity of Spodoptera litura on groundnut in relation to climatic variability using ordinal logistic model

In this paper, an ordinal logistic regression model was developed for predicting the severity of tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) on groundnut using the pest dynamics vis a vis climatic data of twenty five years (1990-2014) pertaining to Kharif (26 to 44 standard meteorological weeks (SMW)) season of Dharwad (Karnataka). Trend analysis of climatic data using Mann-Kendall nonparametric test showed that mean and minimum temperatures, and rainfall to be increasing while morning and evening relative humidity and their mean to be decreasing over time. The weekly male moth catches of S. litura (nos./trap/week) during maximum severity period (34 SMW) was modeled with climatic variables lagged by two weeks. The developed model indicated that the maximum temperature and morning relative humidity prior to two weeks contributed significantly to the occurrence of high level of pest attack. Results suggested that for each degree increase in maximum temperature during 32 SMW, the odds of being high pest attack (as opposed to lower or medium) increased by a multiple of 8.6 as compared to the odds of being high or medium (as opposed to low) increasing by 6.4 times for each per cent rise in the morning relative humidity.

Efficacy of pheromonal control of peachtree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa (Say)) in small‐scale orchards

AbstractThe efficacy of pheromone‐based mating disruption for control of the peachtree borer Synanthedon exitiosa (Say) in small‐scale peach orchards (<0.1 ha) was evaluated in a total of six blocks at two locations in New Mexico, USA, from 2010 to 2015. In treated orchards, commercial pheromone dispensers were deployed at rates of approximately 500 or 600 per ha. Pheromone‐based monitoring traps were installed in each block (treated and untreated), and catches of male moths were recorded throughout each growing season to assess the effectiveness of pheromone treatments and to determine the pest's seasonal flight activity. Levels of larval trunk infestation were assessed twice yearly by inspecting all trees at and below soil level. Infestation levels in an unreplicated block of mature peaches at one site (Los Lunas) declined from 57.5% to 8.4% while under pheromone treatment (2010–2011). Pheromone treatments in this block were discontinued in 2012, and infestation levels subsequently increased to 16.9% by spring 2015. In a replicated study in four other peach blocks at the same site, annual application of pheromones from 2012 to 2014 resulted in a significant difference in larval infestations in treated blocks compared to untreated blocks. In addition, when a single block of infested peaches at a second site (Alcalde) was treated with pheromone dispensers for three consecutive years, trunk infestation levels declined significantly, but were not completely eliminated. These results indicate that mating disruption can help protect even very small orchards from damage by S. exitiosa. However, the technique is likely to be more effective where such orchards are relatively isolated and/or where the surrounding pest pressure is moderate or low.