What is the Suterra BioLure®?
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Pheromone lures and traps are an established staple when monitoring many insect pests. Learn more about what makes the Suterra BioLure® unique in the integrated pest management space below.
Why are pheromone lures important?
When monitoring an insect pest in an orchard, vineyard, or field, PCAs have several options best quantify pest pressure. Random sampling to assess damage, such as stingmarks on apples that may indicate the presence of codling moth, is one method of determining pest pressure. Additionally, PCAs can look for the physical pest itself in some cases, such as surveying for larvae by cutting open a fruit or a nut to look inside.
However, when pests and damage are visibly noticeable by these methods, pest pressure may be high enough that some revenue loss will be inevitable. Pheromone lures allow for easier monitoring by attracting more pests over a broader area. Pheromone lures imitate the natural sex pheromone produced by the female insect to attract males, conveniently drawing in nearby males that might not otherwise be noticed to a sticky trap where they can be counted at the PCA’s convenience. Additionally, unlike food lures, pheromone lures are species-specific. This way, PCAs do not have to worry about their traps potentially catching species other than their target pest.
What makes the Suterra BioLure® special?
The Suterra BioLure®’s sleek design allows PCAs to set up their traps more quickly and cleanly than ever. Suterra technical and field team members regularly use our monitoring products in trials and studies, so the BioLure® was designed with real-world application in mind. The BioLure® is a small, thin packet like the one below, with an adhesive backing and clear film on the front. To use the lure, PCAs need to remove the clear film to allow the pheromone to disperse and use the adhesive backing to adhere the BioLure® to the inside of the trap of the grower’s choice.
Unlike many other pheromone lures, the BioLure® does not require PCAs to have any contact with the pheromone itself. Additionally, its ability to adhere to the top or side of a trap allows PCAs to freely remove and replace trap bottoms without worrying about the lure (most lures sit directly on the surface of the sticky trap).
Unless otherwise specified, Suterra BioLures® provide high-quality monitoring performance for two months after activation. Suterra has BioLures® for a variety of important agricultural pests. Currently, BioLures® are available for the following pests:
-Navel orangeworm
-Codling moth
-Oriental fruit moth
-Walnut husk fly
Codling moth BioLures® are also available in several varieties: 1x, 10x (for orchards actively using mating disruption), and Combo (which attracts both males and females, unlike standard lures, which only attract males).
If you have questions about monitoring, our team of experts is happy to help. Talk to your local field representative or contact us online using our website.