Pheromone traps

Catherine Wittamore <catherine.wittamore [at] googlemail__com>
writes

>I'm just putting together an IPM plan for a museum store, using
>resources the museum already has available.  They haven't done any
>pest monitoring before, but they do have a stock of sticky blunder
>traps.  They are the type that come with pheromone lure tablets and
>no data on the tablet packet as to which pest species they are
>designed to target.  Can anyone tell me what the current thinking is
>on using lures?  Is it better to record the 'natural' catch rather
>than using an attractant?

In setting up RBCM Insect pest control program, pheromone traps were
researched thoroughly. The literature showed that they attracted not
only the target insect but other insects attracted to the smell of
the target insect. Also it has been shown that the volatile fat
soluble pheromone can be adsorbed by materials of artifacts and they
then become pheromone traps attracting insect.  Even people can
adsorb the pheromone and attract the insects.  Thus we have not used
them.

Mary-Lou Florian
Conservation Scientist Emerita
Research Associate Royal BC Museum
Home: 133 Simcoe St.
Victoria, BC, V8V 1Ka5
Canada


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:38
                 Distributed: Sunday, February 13, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-38-002
                                  ***