●Stage 2, interior:These units should be
placed along the path that insects may
follow to the processing areas. Within
the processing areas, units with wings
should be used to prevent dead insects
from falling on the floor or on process-
ing equipment.
●Stage 3, exterior perimeter: Covered
docks, especially if refuse is being
staged, should be protected. The units
should be installed between the insects
and the entrances, but not directly at the
entrances.
Although this method of control can be
effective, some precautions should be
considered. The UV light source should
be replaced in the spring to attain opti-
mal effectiveness. The trap should be
strategically located to obtain optimal
exposure and not to attract insects from
the outside. The pan that collects the
electrocuted insects should be emptied
regularly to prevent infestation by der-
mestid beetles and pests that feed on
dead insects.Sticky Traps
These traps can consist of sticky flypaper,
pieces of waterproofed cord, or flat pieces of
plastic covered with a slow-drying adhesive.
Yellow plastic strips with a sticky covering
will catch a wide variety of flying insects.
Some sticky traps contain pheromones so
that a specific insect species can be caught.
Light trap models use a low-voltage electric
pulse to stun the insects, which then fall
down onto the glue board. This approach
reduces the production of insect fragments
and does not create the bug zapping sound
generated by the electrocution traps.
Biological Control
Use of biological control is frequently
incorporated into integrated pest manage-
ment (IPM) programs (discussed near the
end of this chapter). One of the most widely
used biological control schemes for the con-
trol of phytophagous insects is the develop-
ment and incorporation of host plant
resistance. Resistance is attained through the
use of plant species that are known to be
refractory to attack. One of the promising
techniques is the incorporation of gene splic-
ing and recombinant DNA manipulation,
which is being investigated universally. Other
possibilities are the use of viruses, fungi, and
bacteria to produce diseases in specific pests
and of growth regulators, hormones, and
pheromones that can influence sexual activ-
ity, primarily those that sterilize male pests.
Equally important are growth regulators
that interrupt the life cycle of insects and
prevent their reproduction, usually in the
pupal stage of development. Growth regula-
tors have been evaluated experimentally to
control mosquitoes, fleas, and other insects.
Insects can be potentially controlled by the
use of milled diatomaceous earth. The
milling process fragments the diatom shell
into sharp microscopic particles, which pen-
etrate the insects’ wax coating whenever con-
tact is made, causing moisture depletion and
death. If particles of the shell enter the body
cavity, they interfere with digestion, repro-
duction, and respiration.Pheromone Traps
Pheromones are chemical substances emit-
ted by insects to communicate with others of
the same species. Types of pheromones
include sex attractant, aggregation, fear, and
territorial boundary markers. Natural and
synthetic sex attractant pheromones lure
male insects into sticky traps where they
become permanently trapped and die. Some
of these traps are based on the use of a spe-
cific sex pheromone and have a trapping
chamber where the insects are caught. Some
are constructed with a plastic funnel leading
into the reception chamber, which containsPest Control 243