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Three Questions to Ask About Your California Red Scale Mating Disruption

Suterra Oct 3, 2024 8:45:00 AM

As a grower or crop adviser managing the persistent threat of California Red Scale (CRS), your choice of mating disruption product is crucial in protecting your orchards. With so many factors to consider, asking the right questions is essential to ensure you get the most out of your investment. Below are three critical considerations when evaluating your CRS management strategy.

Does your mating disruption platform match the biology of CRS?

Different pests require different approaches to mating disruption. The choice of platform is vital for CRS, as it has minimal movement and causes highly clustered damage. Coverage and saturation of the environment with pheromones are essential to effectively control the localized populations of CRS. High-density dispensers like CheckMate® CRS are specifically designed to saturate dense citrus canopies, ensuring complete coverage, especially in areas where CRS are tightly grouped. While reducing the number of dispensers to cut costs may seem tempting, this approach creates gaps in protection, leading to increased crop damage and spread of the pest. 

Aerosol delivery systems like Puffers® are an excellent choice for pests with broader movement patterns, such as Lepidopterans like navel orangeworm and codling moth. However, CRS presents an entirely different challenge. Since the introduction of CRS mating disruption 2016, only properly engineered high-density dispensers are a proven effective choice for mating disruption. CRS requires the saturation that only high-density dispenser platforms can provide, ensuring the pheromone reaches the target males within the canopy to stop the mating process. To protect your crop and maximize the value of your mating disruption program, properly engineered high-density dispensers remain the only proven solution for CRS.

crs dispenser

Are Your Pheromones Being Released Consistently for Maximum Effectiveness?

Mating disruption products vary in their ability and mechanism of consistently releasing pheromones. Ensuring your product is engineered for reliable, consistent performance under real-world conditions is key to maintaining effectiveness throughout the season. A steady, controlled pheromone release is essential to continuously disrupt CRS mating cycles year-round. When comparing products, carefully evaluate the release system technology and ask many questions.

Has the product been engineered to provide stable, consistent pheromone output across varying environmental conditions? Does the product use high-quality materials to minimize fluctuations in pheromone release across all environmental conditions? Inconsistent release patterns can leave parts of your orchard vulnerable. Choosing a reliable, stable-release product ensures your dispensers do their job 24/7, delivering effective pest management and uninterrupted, year-round protection. Maximize your mating disruption investment with a solution that ensures steady, uninterrupted protection to keep CRS under control all year.

crs dispenser

Does Your Mating Disruption Platform Offer Reliable Year-Round Protection?

Growers know that labor and operational costs add up quickly, making the duration of protection critical for both effective CRS control and operational efficiency. CheckMate® CRS provides 365-day protection with a single application, eliminating the need for reapplications that drive up labor and management costs. This full-season protection maximizes time and resources while minimizing labor inputs. With the flexibility to apply when labor is available, growers can deploy the product at any convenient time during the season, ensuring year-round coverage without the hassle of reapplications or extra trips to the field. When deciding among mating disruption products, always check the product label to confirm the duration to avoid a labor or damage disaster part-way through the season.


Choosing the right mating disruption platform for California Red Scale is essential for long-term success. By asking these three questions, you’ll ensure that your mating disruption product provides full orchard coverage, consistent pheromone release, and reliable year-round protection. This will allow you to prevent costly outbreaks, ensure the highest return on investment, and deliver consistent, high-quality results for your citrus operation season after season.

If you have questions about mating disruption or want more information on CheckMate® CRS dispensers, our Suterra experts are happy to help. Contact us here or connect with your local representative.