Casting a Broader Net...How Multi-Species Pheromone Monitors Can Be an Efficient Solution
By Tom Mueller, CEO of Insects Limited. Inc.
If you don’t already know, (where have you been the last 45 years) at Insects Limited, we always say “Start with the Insect First.” We believe that all insect issues can be solved at the root cause using the basic behavior and biology of the insect pests we are battling. Identifying your target species, or the species that is causing you headaches is always the best practice when choosing your weapons (tools) for battle. Pheromone monitoring is no different. Species specific monitors will often be our recommendation when implementing your pheromone monitoring program. But in large facilities and complex situations/environments, species specific might not always be the most practical approach.
Your job is to mitigate the presence of pests in your or your customers’ facilities. Our job is to supply you with the best products and useful information to get you one step closer to success. Practical tools and information is the goal, but that doesn’t always mean a species-specific monitor is the most practical. A multi-species monitoring program can save time, reduce device counts, and help you assess overall pest pressure. This approach is a great solution for situations such as initial assessments, seasonal changes, or after sanitation or structural disruptions.
These multi-species monitors are helpful as an early warning system in large warehouses and processing facilities. They will help you reduce the number of trap types needed during initial surveillance of a new customer and monitor multiple stored product pests at the same time ultimately saving you time during setup, inspection, and servicing of your facility. While species specific monitoring is still going to be your “gold standard,” after a pest is identified, multi-species tools can help answer the most critical question of “what insects are present here?”
This is where a quality lineup of multi-species pheromone monitoring products can prove to be the best solution for your situation. From beetles to moths to weevils, there are many devices available allowing you to cast a broader net. The advantages; ease of use, and maximum attraction per device. And to emphasize the importance of “Starting with the Insect First,” scientific rigor conducted by Insects Limited’s entomologists.
When it comes to Insects Limited’s solutions, I always recommend one or two of four products, and really it breaks down to food or textile pests. Selecting the right multi-species monitoring tool starts with understanding a few basic characteristics of the target insect. First, determine whether the pest is associated with food products or textiles (animal-based fabrics). Next, consider if there is a pheromone available or if a food attractant (kairomone) is a better solution. You will also want to determine a few basic behavior characteristics such as, does the insect fly or crawl.
Pro-tip: sometimes the insect will have the ability to fly, but they don’t fly well. All these details help determine how to set up your monitoring device, but that is a topic for a different newsletter article.
For flying insects that infest grain-based foods, such as stored product moths, a hanging pheromone trap like the PTL Multi-species Kit (IL-408-10) is your best choice. For the non-flying food infesting insects, you will need a pitfall trap such as the All Beetle Trap Kit (IL-2750-10). The device and attractant were designed to catch 20+ different food infesting insects based on their behavior and biology.
The same logic applies to textile infesting insects, but because we are discussing multi-species monitoring solutions, both of my recommendations sit on the floor or any other flat surface. The Clothes Moth Kit (IL-120-10) will attract 3 different types of clothes moths. This list includes the Webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella), Brown-dotted clothes moth (Niditinea fuscella), and the Casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella). This product was created to mimic the female sex pheromone which is used to attract the males of these species.
Carpet beetles and other dermestids are tricky. Adult carpet beetles feed on pollen while the larvae feed on textiles. This is when the good pest control professionals shine. Understanding your target pest helps you read and understand what your monitors are telling you. The All Beetle AA Carpet Beetle Kit (IL-2110-10) will attract both male and female larvae, and male adults. Depending on if you are catching adults or immatures in your devices directs the conversation you have with your customer, or how you plan your next move. Utilizing simple framework of “Starting with the Insect First” helps you ensure the correct monitors are selected, the monitors are placed where insects naturally move and will result in more reliable data and faster insights into pest activity.
Multi-species pheromone monitors are not intended to replace targeted monitoring once a pest has been identified, unless there are situations where multiple species are present. Instead, they serve as a practical screening and trend tracking tool to help identify shifts in pest pressure. By designing traps that are easy to deploy, simple to inspect, and capable of attracting multiple insect species, Insects Limited aims to support our industry and those battling stored product insects, both food and textile infesting with clear and reliable data that guide identification, sanitation efforts, and help make your overall pest control program more attractive. Pun intended.
Insects Limited, an Insect Pheromone Company
Insects Limited, Inc. researches, tests, develops, manufactures and distributes pheromones and trapping systems for insects in a global marketplace. The highly qualified staff also can assist with consultation, areas of expert witness, training presentations and grant writing.
Insects Limited, Inc. specializes in a unique niche of pest control that provides mainstream products and services to protect stored food, grain, museum collections, tobacco, timber and fiber worldwide. Please take some time to view these products and services in our web store.
