Alternatives to Dichlorvos in Trapping of Insect Pests
Start Date
April 2026
Location
3rd floor - Library
Abstract
Insect pests cause substantial agricultural, environmental, and horticultural damage globally. Effective trapping and monitoring of these species is critical to managing pest populations before they cause damage. Insecticides are widely used in trapping as a killing agent to ensure capture of target insects. However, some common insecticides pose risks to environmental and human health. As a result, regulations have been implemented to restrict the use of insecticides. We compared a popular organophosphate (Dichlorvos - Hercon Vaportape II) with two permethrin-based treatments: Sawyer fabric spray and Insect Shield mosquito net to determine if there are alternatives that are as effective as Vaportape. We used bucket traps baited with lures for box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and the black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Trap catch for target taxa were not large enough to determine any differences among treatments. Low numbers of target individuals may reflect the patchy distribution of C. perspectalis during the early stages of invasion, and low catch of A. ipsilon likely reflects a poorly chosen trap site.
Alternatives to Dichlorvos in Trapping of Insect Pests
3rd floor - Library
Insect pests cause substantial agricultural, environmental, and horticultural damage globally. Effective trapping and monitoring of these species is critical to managing pest populations before they cause damage. Insecticides are widely used in trapping as a killing agent to ensure capture of target insects. However, some common insecticides pose risks to environmental and human health. As a result, regulations have been implemented to restrict the use of insecticides. We compared a popular organophosphate (Dichlorvos - Hercon Vaportape II) with two permethrin-based treatments: Sawyer fabric spray and Insect Shield mosquito net to determine if there are alternatives that are as effective as Vaportape. We used bucket traps baited with lures for box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and the black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Trap catch for target taxa were not large enough to determine any differences among treatments. Low numbers of target individuals may reflect the patchy distribution of C. perspectalis during the early stages of invasion, and low catch of A. ipsilon likely reflects a poorly chosen trap site.
