Contact toxicity of insecticides for attract-and-kill applications against adult Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).
BACKGROUND
The Indian meal moth (IMM), Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), is an important pest of stored food products. Contact toxicities of 13 insecticides applied to different surfaces were evaluated at registered label and a higher dose for killing adult males. The ultimate objective was to develop attract-and-kill technologies for P. interpunctella. Two-day-old adult males were exposed to treated surfaces for 2.0 s and then paired with virgin females for mating and oviposition over a 24 h period.


RESULTS
Permethrins and pyrethrins (organic pyrethrin and pyrethrin plus a synergist) caused over 70% mortality to males. Oviposition was impacted by these insecticides, while egg hatch was not. A second experiment tested the 8 week residual toxicity of cyfluthrin, permethrin and pyrethrin at label and at a higher dose of 20 g AI L(-1) on five surfaces: plastic-coated paper, metal, painted plastic, unpainted plastic and wood. Permethrin at 20 g AI L(-1) suppressed males at over 80% for up to 8 weeks and retained activity on surfaces made with plastic-coated paper, metal or plastic. Oviposition was variable among treatments. Egg hatch was generally unaffected by treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Effective attract-and-kill surfaces can be developed for killing IMM males and thereby potentially lead to reduced reproduction and, ultimately, population suppression.
Campos
Manuel
M
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA. camposmf@yahoo.com
Phillips
Thomas W
TW
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D013995:Time
D007306:Insecticides