Journal of Economic Entomology (2019) 112, 2229-2235

Pasquale Trematerra, Marco Colacci, Christos G. Athanassiou, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Christos I. Rumbos, Maria C. Boukouvala, Anastassia J. Nikolaidou, Demetrius C. Kontodimas, Enrique Benavent-Fernández and Santiago Gálvez-Settier (2019)
Evaluation of mating disruption for the control of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae) in suburban recreational areas in Italy and Greece
Journal of Economic Entomology 112 (5), 2229-2235
Abstract: Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis and Schiffermüller) is a severe defoliator of various species of Pinus and Cedrus, while the urticanting hairs produced by its larvae cause public health problems for humans and pets. In the present study, we report results of trials (from summer 2015 until winter 2017) of mating disruption for management of T. pityocampa in different areas of Italy and Greece. Overall, the total number of male moths captured in mating disruption-treated plots over each season (70) was significantly lower than the respective number in untreated plots (780). The total number of winter nests was likewise significantly less in the mating disruption plots (13) compared with control plots (147). Our results indicate that mating disruption can be an important tool for judicious, insecticide-free control of T. pityocampa in urban, suburban, and recreational areas, where many alternative control measures are not available.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Pasquale Trematerra, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Christos Rumbos, Dimitris C. Kontodimas

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Thaumetopoea pityocampa	Pine (Pinus)	Greece
	Thaumetopoea pityocampa	Pine (Pinus)	Italy