POTENTIAL FOR PHEROMONE-BASED MATING DISRUPTION OF THE MULLEIN BUG, CAMPYLOMMA VERBASCI (MEYER) (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE)

Atmospheric permeation of apple orchards with 16:1 butyl butyrate (BB): 2(E)-crotyl butyrate (CB), the sex pheromone of the mullein bug, Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) (Heteroptera: Miridae), demonstrated potential for pheromone-based mating disruption; atmospheric permeation with single components did not. In traps baited with 16:1 BB:CB, catches of male C. verbasci were 3, 64, and 105% of catches in nontreated controls for disruption treatments of 16:1 BB:CB, CB alone, and BB alone, respectively. With the two-component pheromone as a disruptant, catches of male C. verbasci were significantly reduced relative to controls at dispenser densities of 250, 500, and 1000 per hectare; catches were lowest at 1000 dispensers per hectare. For monitoring of operational trials, pheromone-baited open wing traps hung 1.5 m above ground were judged to be more practical than open wing traps hung 2.5 m above ground, or closed wing traps or white sticky cards at either height. Atmospheric permeation with pheromone did not affect numbers of males and females captured on nonbaited white sticky cards, and trap height did not affect catches of females. However, in pheromone-treated plots, significantly more males were captured on 2.5-m-high nonbaited cards than on 1.5-m-high cards, probably representing incidental catches of males following false trails to pheromone dispensers hung in the upper canopy. This study is the first reported example of pheromone-based disruption of orientation behavior in the Heteroptera.