Cho, Y.S., Song, J.H., Lim, K.-H., Choi, J.H., & Lee, H.C. 2014 Monitoring and Mating Disruption of Pseudococcus comstocki by Uing a Sex Pheromone in Pear Orchards. Koeran Journal of Applied Entomology 53(3): 209-215

Notes: This study was performed to monitor the seasonal occurrence of Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) by using pheromone traps and to test a mating disruption technique to control this pest in pear orchards. We compared the attractiveness of rubber septa loaded with 1.5 and 3.0 mg of the pheromone, 2,6-dimethyl-1,5-heptadien-3-yl acetate. A total of 1,021 and 1,431 males were caught in traps baited with 1.5 mg and 3 mg of the pheromone, respectively. The numbers of males caught were not affected by trap color, although yellow traps were more attractive than white traps. In 2012, [P. comstocki] males were captured between June and October, with peaks in late June, early August, and late September. In 2013, the males were trapped between June and October, with peaks in middle June, late July, and late September. In pheromone mating disruption tests, catches were reduced by 17.7, 65.3, and 62.9% in orchards treated with 450, 900, and 1,350 mg per 10 a of the pheromone, respectively. At harvest, 3.4, 2.9, and 4.8% of fruits in orchards treated with 450, 900, and 1,350 mg per 10 a were damaged by P. comstocki, while 9.5% were damaged in the control orchard.