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Ninety per cent of chemical insecticides have been eliminated from commercial orchards, according to CSIRO research, with orchardists turning to pheromone traps to disrupt the mating of insects. Insects such as the oriental fruit moth are guided to their mates by chemical sex attractants, called pheromones, released by the opposite sex. Scientists identify the unique pheromone for the insect pest they want to control, and the amount of pheromone needed to disrupt mating or to entice moths in to traps for monitoring. The pheromone is loaded into different types of tubing, which can either be tied to orchard trees or placed in simple traps often made from milk or orange juice cartons coated with a sticky substance. With the traps in place the male of the targeted species then either becomes confused and doesn't know which direction to turn for the female, or he becomes desensitised to the lower levels of pheromones naturally given out by the female and has no incentive to mate with her.

Libraries and tags

• Entomology Insects  and herbicides   fruit   insecticides   orchards   pesticides   agricultural pests and pest control   agriculture and agribusiness   insects and other arthropods