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Mating Disruption

Insect sex pheromone-based mating disruption is widely adapted by commercial fruit growers to prevent male and female moths from mating and therefore from producing viable eggs. Since mating disruption does not kill insects, it needs to be applied on large areas (minimum 5 acres) in order for it to be effective. For smaller growers, a different kind of mating-disruption technology called "attract and kill" is recommended. A formulation of insect sex pheromone and insecticide sold under the name of Last Call OFM or Last Call CM proved to be effective in controlling Oriental fruit moth or codling moth in small orchards. Multiple droplets of insecticide/pheromone solution need to be applied to the tree branches and trunk before the flight of each generation of Oriental fruit moth/codling to provide effective control. It is important to remember that mating-disruption technology, in contrast to most insecticides, is effective only against the target insect species and will not control other species of insects. In order to control both Oriental fruit moth and codling moth, separate applications of Last Call OFM and Last Call CM need to be applied.