Researchers have been unable to duplicate whatever it is in apples that attracts codling moths. Dr. Peter Landolt, research leader at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research lab near Wapato, Washington, had been hoping to pinpoint what attracts the moths to the fruit and use an artificial version as a lure for monitoring the pest or as part of a control strategy. The advantage of using kairomones (volatiles extracted from the host plant) rather than insect sex pheromones is that they are attractive to both male and female moths. Drs. Doug Light, with the USDA in Albany, California, and Alan […]