E.G. Kettela, S.E. Holmes and P.J. Silk
Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service–Atlantic Forestry Centre,

SERG Project #1995/07
Year of Project: 2005
Report Received: 2006

An aerial application of Hercon Disrupt© microflakes containing the sex pheromone of the spruce budworm (a 95/5 blend of E and Z-11-tetradecenal, respectively) was carried out in Ontario in 2005 on feral populations of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, to aid in generating additional efficacy data (trap and mating disruption) for product registration.

Briefly, the results were as follows:

1. Application problems were experienced with the Disrupt - Gelva - water mix; as a result, we estimated that only 25 g/ha instead of 50 g/ha of pheromone were deposited in the treatment site. It is necessary to determine how best to apply the flakes before this process can be considered operational.

2. Even though the application was made mid-way through the moth flight period, and the actual estimated dosage of pheromone was half the prescribed dose, there was a measurable disruption of mating success and trap capture.

3. The half-life of 13 days for the Hercon flakes under actual field conditions makes this material a positive addition to the tools that should be available for spruce budworm management.