Reconstituted in the lab and then formulated to make an attractive diffuser, specific pheromones for pest insects enable crops to be protected against these invasive species using 3 methods.

• 1) Monitoring

  This method allows for supervision so that the population of a target pest’s insect can be detected and a timely intervention set in motion. It can also be used to measure treatment efficacy by verifying whether a pest is present or not on a plot of land.

  The pheromonal attractant is placed in a trap positioned on the plot of land.

• 2) Mass pheromone trapping

  This use enables the mass trapping of a population of an invasive pest species. The diffuser is placed in a trap. Traps are laid out in large numbers and based on a rigorous and exact plan in order to capture the targeted pest insect and prevent it damaging the crop or harvest and neutralising the infestation.

   

• 3) Mating disruption

  This use is intended to protect an extensive plot of land against a pest insect. It consists of spraying an adequate and even amount of the targeted insect’s sexual pheromone over the plot. A proliferating supply of sexual pheromone will prevent the male insects from coupling with the females and thus preventing reproduction. By rendering pairing impossible, this method thus makes it possible to eliminate the pests from the plot of land.

  For the mating disruption method, large quantities of the pheromone are diffused and deposited directly on the plot: for this solution there are no need for traps and collection of insects as it is a disruption technique which is specifically targeted