Light Brown Apple Moth

The Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) is a new pest in California. Native to Australia the moth has established itself in Hawaii and in Great Britain. Now the LBAM has been spotted in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Entomologists are trying to track this moth in the bay area. There have been sightings in San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda. A system of monitoring traps designed to attract the insects in question. You have probably seen these triangular boxes placed around your neighborhood.

Three things are needed to successfully monitor insects:

1. A trap- A simple structure used to attract and hold captured insects. Certain colors and shapes are preferred by different insects. The color yellow is favored by.

2. A sticky card- The sticky card can be slid into the trap and removed for closer inspection.

3. A lure- For monitoring the LBAM this is very important. Insects are drawn to certain specific chemical markers called semieochemicals. Pheromones are widely used semiochemicals for insect attraction.

These pheromones mimmic the natural chemical the female LBAM releases to attract the male moth for mating. These chemicals are insect specific, for example, pheromones released by the female Apple Moth will not attract the male Med Fly. Hundreds of pheramones can be synthesized today. After being manufactured in a lab, the chemical is placed in a brown rubber plug called a septa. Less then an inch long, this lure will slowly release its scent into the air. Each septa will last more then a month. The septa and its contained chemical are not hazardous.

Here is a great link presented by the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/lbam/lbam_main.html


This U.S.D.A. web site has pictures of the LBAM at different stages of life. There are pictures of the egg, larvae and pupae stage.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/lba_moth/gallery.shtml


This third link has a different point of view about spraying for the LBAM.

http://www.stopthespray.org

Now Available from Marginal Design-- The Light Brown Apple Moth Detection Kit.
THE LBAM DETECTION KIT

THE LBAM DETECTION KIT INCLUDES:

Two View-Thru™ insect monitoring traps. Made from transparent polypropylene, these are reusable and recyclable.

Two sticky cards. These cards are paper based, and slide into the View-thru trap. They're good for at least 30 days of use.

Two pheromone lures formulated specifically for the Light Brown Apple Moth.

Pictures, information and Internet links for and about the Light Brown Apple Moth.

Detection Kits are $24 Plus shipping and handling. For more information, or to purchase, please email- sales@marginaldesign.com
LBAM kits can now be purchased on line using Pay-Pal-
 

 

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