Abstract
Grant, G. and D. French. 1976. Mating disruption of tussock moths by atmospheric permeation with synthetic sex pheromone. Bi-Monthly Research Notes 32(5): 25-26.
Sex pheromones show promise as an environmentally acceptable means of suppressing insect populations. The most appealing technique appears to be the permeation of the local atmosphere of a pest with a level of sex pheromone sufficient to disrupt its mating ability. Presumably, the atmospheric pheromone habituates the males rendering them incapable of responding successfully to the small amount of perhomone released by the females with the net result that males are unable to located females and mate with them. The sex perhomone of the Douglas fir tussock moth has been identified and is commercially available. It sexually stimulates and attracts in the field both white-marked and rusty tussock moths. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine whether the ketone has the potential to disrupt the mating ability of these two species which are currently pests in several localities in Canada.
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