A pheromone trap is a type of

insect trap Insect traps are used to monitor or directly reduce populations of insects or other arthropods, by trapping individuals and killing them. They typically use food, visual lures, chemical attractants and pheromones as bait and are installed so that ...

that uses

pheromone A pheromone () is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to affect the behavio ...

s to lure

insects Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of j ...

. Sex pheromones and aggregating pheromones are the most common types used. A pheromone-impregnated lure, as the red rubber septa in the picture, is encased in a conventional trap such as a bottle trap, Delta trap, water-pan trap, or funnel trap. Pheromone traps are used both to count insect populations by sampling, and to trap

pests PESTS was an anonymous American activist group formed in 1986 to critique racism, tokenism, and exclusion in the art world. PESTS produced newsletters, posters, and other print material highlighting examples of discrimination in gallery represent ...

such as

clothes moth Clothes moth or clothing moth is the common name for several species of moth considered to be pests, whose larvae eat animal fibres (hairs), including clothing and other fabrics. These include: * ''Tineola bisselliella'', the common clothes mot ...

s to destroy them.

Sensitivity

Pheromone traps are very sensitive, meaning they attract insects present at very low densities. They are often used to detect presence of exotic pests, or for sampling, monitoring, or to determine the first appearance of a pest in an area. They can be used for legal control, and are used to monitor the success of the

Boll Weevil Eradication Program The Boll Weevil Eradication Program is a program sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which has sought to eradicate the boll weevil in the cotton-growing areas of the United States. It's one of the world's most successful ...

and the spread of the

gypsy moth ''Lymantria dispar'', also known as the gypsy moth or the spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. ''Lymantria dispar'' is subdivided into several subspecies, with subspecies such as ''L. d. dispar'' and ''L. d. japonica'' bei ...

. The high species-specificity of pheromone traps can also be an advantage, and they tend to be inexpensive and easy to implement. This sensitivity is especially suited to some investigations of

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adv ...

: Flying males are easily blown off course by winds. Rather than introducing

noise Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference aris ...

, Frank et al 2013 find this can actually help detect isolated nests or populations and determine the length of time necessary between introduction and

establishment Establishment may refer to: * The Establishment, a dominant group or elite that controls a polity or an organization * The Establishment (club), a 1960s club in London, England * The Establishment (Pakistan), political terminology for the military ...

. (Although any trap can answer the same questions, high sensitivity such as provided by pheromone traps does so more accurately.) . However, it is impractical in most cases to completely remove or "trap out"

using a pheromone trap. Some pheromone-based

pest control Pest control is the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest; any animal, plant or fungus that impacts adversely on human activities or environment. The human response depends on the importance of the damage done and will range ...

methods have been successful, usually those designed to protect enclosed areas such as households or storage facilities. There has also been some success in mating disruption. In one form of mating disruption, males are attracted to a powder containing female attractant pheromones. The pheromones stick to the males' bodies, and when they fly off, the pheromones make them attractive to other males. It is hoped that if enough males chase other males instead of females, egg-laying will be severely impeded. Some difficulties surrounding pheromone traps include sensitivity to bad weather, their ability to attract pests from neighboring areas, and that they generally only attract adults, although it is the juveniles in many species that are pests. They are also generally limited to one sex.

Targets

Though certainly not all insect pheromones have been discovered, many are known and many more are discovered every year. Some sites curate large lists of insect pheromones. Pheromones are frequently used to monitor and control

lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described speci ...

n and

coleopteran Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 described ...

species, with many available commercially. Pheromones are available for insects including: *

African bollworm ''Helicoverpa armigera'' is a species of Lepidoptera in the family Noctuidae. It is known as the cotton bollworm, corn earworm, Old World (African) bollworm, or scarce bordered straw (the lattermost in the UK, where it is a migrant). The larvae f ...

* African cotton leafworm * Apple brown tortrix * Apple clearwing moth *

Apple fruit moth ''Argyresthia conjugella'', the apple fruit moth, is a moth of the family Yponomeutidae. It is found in North America, Europe, Siberia, Central Asia and Japan. The wingspan is 10–14 mm. The head is yellowish-white. Forewings are rat ...

Apple maggot The apple maggot (''Rhagoletis pomonella''), also known as the railroad worm (but distinct from the '' Phrixothrix'' beetle larva, also called railroad worm), is a species of fruit fly, and a pest of several types of fruits, especially apples ...

Artichoke moth ''Gortyna xanthenes'', the artichoke moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It was described by Ernst Friedrich Germar in 1842. It is found on the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily and Malta Malta ( , , ...

Asian beetle ''Harmonia axyridis'' is a large lady beetle or ladybug species that is most commonly known as the harlequin, multicoloured Asian, or Asian lady beetle. This is one of the most variable species in the world, with an exceptionally wide range of col ...

Asian corn borer moth ''Ostrinia furnacalis'' is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, the grass moths. It was described by Achille Guenée in 1854 and is known by the common name Asian corn borer since this species is found in Asia and feeds mainly on corn crop ...

* Baluchistan fruit fly * Banana weevil * Banded elm bark beetle *

Barred fruit-tree tortrix ''Pandemis cerasana'', the barred fruit-tree tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. Distribution This quite common species is found in Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Ural Mountains and the Caucasus, east to southern Siberia, ...

Beech tortrix moth ''Cydia fagiglandana'', the beech moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. Distribution and habitat This species is present in most of Europe. These moths mainly occur in beech woodland. Description ''Cydia fagiglandana'' can reach a win ...

Beet armyworm The beet armyworm or small mottled willow moth (''Spodoptera exigua'') is one of the best-known agricultural pest insects. It is also known as the asparagus fern caterpillar. It is native to Asia, but has been introduced worldwide and is now fou ...

* Bertha armyworm * Black cutworm * Blueberry maggot *

Bollworm Bollworm is the common term for a moth larva that attacks the fruiting bodies of certain crops, especially cotton. The most common moths known as bollworms are: * Red or Sudan bollworm, '' Diparopsis castanea'' * Rough bollworm, '' Earias perhueg ...

* Bright-line brown-eye or tomato moth * Brown oak tortrix * Cabbage leaf roller * Cabbage looper moth *

Cabbage moth The cabbage moth (''Mamestra brassicae'') is primarily known as a pest that is responsible for severe crop damage of a wide variety of plant species. The common name, cabbage moth, is a misnomer as the species feeds on many fruits, vegetables, ...

* Carnation tortrix * Carob moth * Cherry-bark moth * Cherry fruit fly * Citrus cutworm * Citrus flower moth * Citrus leafmining moth * Citrus mealybug *

Codling moth The codling moth (''Cydia pomonella'') is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are major pests to agricultural crops, mainly fruits such as apples and pears. Because the larvae are not able to feed on leaves, they are highly ...

* Corn earworm * Corn stalk borer * Cucumber fruit fly * Cucumber moth * Currant clearwing moth *

Cutworm Cutworms are moth larvae that hide under litter or soil during the day, coming out in the dark to feed on plants. A larva typically attacks the first part of the plant it encounters, namely the stem, often of a seedling, and consequently cuts it ...

* Date palm fruit stalk borer * Diamond back moth * Douglas-fir tussock moth * Dubas bug * Durra stem borer * Eastern cherry fruit fly * Eggplant shoot and fruit borer * Egyptian cotton leaf worm * Engraver beetle *

European corn borer The European corn borer (''Ostrinia nubilalis''), also known as the European corn worm or European high-flyer, is a moth of the family Crambidae which includes other grass moths. It is a pest of grain, particularly maize (''Zea mays''). The ...

* European goat moth * European pine shoot moth * European spruce bark beetle * Eye-spotted bud moth *

Fall armyworm The fall armyworm (''Spodoptera frugiperda'') is a species in the order Lepidoptera and one of the species of the fall armyworm moths distinguished by their larval life stage. The term "armyworm" can refer to several species, often describing the ...

False codling moth ''Thaumatotibia (Cryptophlebia) leucotreta'', commonly known as the false codling moth, orange moth, citrus codling moth or orange codling moth, is a moth in the family Tortricidae under the order of Lepidoptera. Larvae of the moth feed on a wide ...

* Fruit fly * Fruit tree leaf roller * Garden pebble * Golden leaf roller * Golden twin moth or groundnut semi-looper moth * Grape moth or vine moth * Green oak moth * Grey tortrix *

Gypsy moth ''Lymantria dispar'', also known as the gypsy moth or the spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. ''Lymantria dispar'' is subdivided into several subspecies, with subspecies such as ''L. d. dispar'' and ''L. d. japonica'' bei ...

* Hants moth *

Japanese beetle The Japanese beetle (''Popillia japonica'') is a species of scarab beetle. The adult measures in length and in width, has iridescent copper-colored elytra and a green thorax and head. It is not very destructive in Japan (where it is control ...

* Jasmine moth * Large fruit tree tortrix * Leche's twist moth *

Leek moth The leek moth or onion leaf miner (''Acrolepiopsis assectella'') is a species of moth of family Acrolepiidae (formerly Glyphipterigidae) and the genus ''Acrolepiopsis''. The species is native to Europe and Siberia, but is also found in North Ame ...

or onion moth * Legume pod borer * Leopard moth * Lesser peach tree borer * Longhorn date stem borer * Marbled orchard tortrix * Mediterranean fruit fly * Mediterranean pine engraver beetle *

Melon fly ''Bactrocera cucurbitae'', the melon fly, is a fruit fly of the family Tephritidae. It is a serious agricultural pest, particularly in Hawaii. Identification Adult fly The adult melon fly is 6 to 8 mm in length. Distinctive characteristi ...

* Northern bark beetle * Nun moth *

Olive fruit fly The olive fruit fly (''Bactrocera oleae'') is a species of fruit fly which belongs to the subfamily Dacinae. It is a phytophagous species whose larvae feed on the fruit of olive trees, hence the common name. It is considered a serious pest in ...

* Olive moth * Orange tortrix * Oriental fruit fly * Oriental fruit moth *

Pea moth ''Cydia nigricana'', the pea moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe. Description It is a small (15 mm wingspan), grey-brown moth whose larvae (caterpillars) feed in the pods of garden peas. They have a long antenn ...

* Peach fruit fly * Pear leaf blister moth * Pear twig borer * Pine processionary moth *

Pine sawfly The Diprionidae are a small family of conifer Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division c ...

Pink bollworm The pink bollworm (''Pectinophora gossypiella''; es, lagarta rosada) is an insect known for being a pest in cotton farming. The adult is a small, thin, gray moth with fringed wings. The larva is a dull white caterpillar with eight pairs of legs ...

Plum fruit moth ''Grapholita funebrana'', the plum fruit moth or red plum maggot, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm. Like many of its congeners, it is sometimes placed in ''Cydia''. The wingspan is 10–15 mm. The fo ...

* Potato moth *

Potato tuber moth ''Phthorimaea operculella'', also known as the potato tuber moth or tobacco splitworm, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is an oligophagous insect that feeds on the plant family Solanaceae and is especially known for being a major pest of ...

* Queensland fruit fly * Quince moth *

Red palm weevil The palm weevil ''Rhynchophorus ferrugineus'' is one of two species of snout beetle known as the red palm weevil, Asian palm weevil or sago palm weevil. The adult beetles are relatively large, ranging between long, and are usually a rusty red c ...

Rhinoceros beetle Dynastinae or rhinoceros beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae). Other common names – some for particular groups of rhinoceros beetles – include Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles. Over 1 ...

* Rice stem borer * Rose tortrix *

San Jose scale The San Jose scale (''Quadraspidiotus perniciosus'') is a Hemiptera, hemipterous insect in the family Diaspididae. It is an agricultural Pest (organism), pest as it causes damage and crop losses to many fruit crops. In 1914, ''Q. perniciosus'' be ...

Sesiidae The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnal moth family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of various Hymenoptera. The family consists of 165 genera spread over two subfamilies, contai ...

(some) * Silver Y moth * Six-spined spruce bark beetle * Six-toothed bark beetle * Spiny boll worm * Spotted bollworm * Spotted tentiform miner * Straw coloured tortrix moth * Sugar beet weevil *

Summer fruit tortrix moth ''Adoxophyes orana'', the summer fruit tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm and Taiwan. The wingspan is 17–22 mm. The moth flies in two generations from May to November. The larvae overwinter ...

* Tobacco budworm * Tomato leaf miner * Tomato looper *

Turnip moth ''Agrotis segetum'', sometimes known as the turnip moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is a common European species and it is found in Africa and across ...

* Variegated golden tortrix *

Winter moth :''In North America, "winter moth" usually denotes the invasive species ''Operophtera brumata'', but may also mean refer to a native species, ''Erannis tiliaria'' (linden looper) or '' Operophtera bruceata'' (bruce spanworm).'' The winter moth (' ...

* Xyloterus bark beetle

Gallery

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References

{{Trapping Biological pest control Pest control techniques Insect ecology Entomology equipment Pest trapping Chemical ecology