TOXICITY OF FIELD-AGED PERMETHRIN-LOADED ATTRACTICIDES ON Choristoneura rosaceana (HARRIS) AND Pandemis pyrusana
KEARFOTT (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) ADULT MALES AND FEMALES

Tomislav Curkovic*¹, Jay F. Brunner², and John J. Brown³

ABSTRACT

Lethal and sub lethal effects were evaluated in the laboratory on Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris) and Pandemis pyrusana Kearfott males exposed to an attracticide loaded with permethrin and aged in the field. The effect of pairing conspecific females with previously intoxicated males was also evaluated. In both species a significantly greater mortality of male moths (≥ 95%) was observed 24 h after exposure to t  he attracticide formulation. Likewise, high levels of knock down (≥ 75%) were observed in males of both species 1 h after attracticide exposure. In females, knock down was ≥ 2.5% and mortality ≥ 3.3% after pairing with intoxicated males. Leg autotomy in males was at least 73% in C. rosaceana and ≥ 41% in P. pyrusana, 24 h after attracticide exposure; whereas it was only ≥ 10% among females of both species after pairing with intoxicated males. Moths exposed to an attracticide blank (permethrin-free) showed significantly lower effects in all parameters (0-3.3%). Fecundity and fertility were also significantly affected after pairing females with intoxicated males. There was no significant decrease in mortality, leg autotomy, and fecundity associated with age of the attracticide. Results suggest a high potential for the use of attracticides against these two tortricid species.

Key words: bioassay, fecundity, fertility, knockdown, leg autotomy, lethal effects, mortality, sub lethal effects.