MONITORING

A key component of our Responsible Pest Management (RPM) approach is the need to understand insect behaviour in order to make the best decisions, at the best time. By using traps and lures, farmers can monitor the number and activity of specific insects on a certain crop at a point in time, as well as the stage of their life cycle, enabling them to make timely decisions before the pests do extensive damage. Knowing your pest should be an integral part of any integrated pest management (IPM) strategy.

Semiochemicals imitating insect sex pheromones can be used to attract insects to traps for detection and monitoring. In most instances, it is the males who respond to female-produced sex pheromones. Pheromone-based lures are therefore designed to closely reproduce the ratio of chemical components and emission rate of calling females. Ideally, a lure should uniformly dissipate its pheromone content over time and not permanently retain or degrade the pheromone in the process.

Our monitoring solution: PheroLure® range

Our PheroLure® range of semiochemical products is designed to attract and trap targeted insects in orchards and fields by mimicking the natural process used by insects to communicate.

View the full Insect Science (Pty) Ltd PheroLure® Range

Contact us for more information or advice about the PheroLure® products available.

Products available subject to registration in country of purchase.

Why we monitor pests

The monitoring of pests and diseases has become a science. Most monitoring systems are sophisticated scientific tools developed by experts for growers. 

An incorrectly installed or maintained monitoring system, or where the wrong insects are counted, will not be a true reflection of the pest situation in the field. In many of these systems, the decision about whether to spray or not rests on very small differences in the number of insects trapped or counted in a specific time frame. 

  • A monitoring system that operates sub-optimally will lead to incorrect pest management decisions.
  • Monitoring indicates the number, sex and status of pests, keeping growers up-to-date and enabling them to make important pest management decisions.
  • By making decisions about which solutions to use and when, based on Economic Threshold Values rather than by the calendar, growers can follow a more effective, eco-friendlier programme, reducing their costs as well as their impact on the environment.

How it works

Insects communicate with one another by releasing small quantities of pheromones, a chemical substance that acts like a scent, into the air. Since the chemical composition of the pheromone differs from species to species, each one is only attracted to its own kind. 

With the backing of years of research, we are able to identify many of the individual insect pheromones and synthesise them. This has made it possible to attract a specific insect and neutralise or disrupt its normal behaviour. 

Storage and packaging

  • Pheromone lures come in different designs, depending on their use. 
  • The lures are individually wrapped in a foil pouch and sold 3 per pack or in bulk of a 100 lures. The foil pouch protects them against sunlight and contamination.
  • The lures should be stored at a temperature below 10° C.
  • Lures kept under these conditions will retain their activity and attractiveness for a minimum of 12 months.
  • After opening, the PheroLure® device has a declared period of four to six weeks of activity. After this time, the expired PheroLure® should be replaced.
  • Bulk storage of lures for periods of 24 months or longer is possible by refrigeration at temperatures between 0 – 4° C.
  • Insect Science® does not recommend storing lures for more than 3 years.

Products available subject to registration in country of purchase.

For more information or to receive a quote please contact us