Pheromone and food insect lures are an excellent tool for targeted monitoring of specific pest species
Lures are different categories of attractants to insect pests used to aid in monitoring for pest activity. Using different lures can be effective additions to a pest monitoring strategy. Pheromone lures contain chemicals that will attract a specific species or set of species, but usually only a very specific subset of things. Pheromone lures can also be relatively expensive. Food lures contain materials that attract a wider range of species and life phases of insect pests, and can be relatively inexpensive. Many of these lures can be deployed in whichever style of insect sticky trap is being used to monitor for pests.
Food Lures
Food lures, or bait, can be deployed in almost any variety of sticky trap. A similar strategy to pheromone lure deployment can be used, though most food lures will attract a broader variety of life phases and species because they are not targeted chemical communication. It is important to be sure that you actually have pests that are attracted to these lures and that they are not left unchecked as they may attract additional pests.
Pheromone Lures
Pheromone lures are lab synthesized chemicals in a delivery device that are for attracting a specific species or closely related group of species. These lures can be placed on whichever type of sticky trap is most useful for the pest species of concern. Due to the specificity of pheromone lures they are not useful in gathering general pest data but best used when dealing with watching for, or isolating, high damage risk species.
All pheromone lures have been found to be safe for humans. With pheromones, as with all chemicals, it is important to refer to the MSDS (materials safety data sheet) and other manufacturer safety guidelines to ensure that the material is safely stored and used.
The question of whether pheromone from lures can adsorb onto materials and turn the materials into “lures” themselves has been researched by Insects Limited. Evidence has not suggested that the minute amount of pheromone in the air (from normal monitoring use) can cause an object to become statistically more attractive than one not in the presence of pheromone.
| Pros | Cons |
| Insects that have found ideal harborage sites and food sources within collection areas may not be caught by “blunder” traps since they have little incentive to travel. Using lures that deploy either sex or aggregate pheromones can significantly increase the efficacy of monitoring. Another critical use of pheromone baited traps is they can aid in pinpointing an infestation of a target species within a storage area. | The commonly used sex pheromone of museum pests like cigarette beetles, clothes moths, and carpet beetles will only attract the adult male insect. Sex pheromones that mimic the female insect will never attract a reproductive pair, the damaging larval stage, or a female insect with eggs. If not deployed correctly there is a risk of pulling the species from other areas into the space being monitored. Each manufacturer and pheromone will have a specific shelf life, duration of pheromone release, recommended spacing of lures, production dates and general composition (e.g. blended pheromones) that must be taken into consideration. |
Using Pheromone Lures In A Monitoring Program
For how to monitor and pinpoint problems during an active infestation please see [page and link coming]
For Monitor Trap Placement Scenarios see https://museumpests.net/monitoring-trapping/
Assessment:
- Identify the insect or insects that you want to specifically watch for, usually things known to have been present or that are very high risk to the collections type.
- Make sure that the pest you want to monitor has a viable, commercially available pheromone lure or an appropriate food lure.
- Determine how many lures to deploy in a space based on budgetary constraints, range of the specific pheromone from the manufacturer, and length of time the pheromone lure remains active. It is also important to consider how long the plan is to monitor with these pheromones, to consider expenses and the overall plan. It is critical that pheromone lures must be at least 15 feet (5 meters) from any door that is being opened regularly or that opens to the outside. It is not recommended to deploy pheromone lures in areas such as loading docks or cafeterias that might be adjacent to collection storage areas.
Deployment:
- Label sticky traps appropriately based on your trap monitoring system, usually with a minimum of trap location number and date of deployment.
- Remove pheromone lures from packaging using tweezers or gloves (rubber or nitrile) and immediately place it on the trap. Pheromones should never be placed in contact with collection objects, storage containers, or display mounts. Physical contact with a pheromone lure will transfer pheromone molecules to an object or person.
- Place traps in designated locations and check according to your normal checking schedule that also accommodates the lifespan of the pheromone lure. During the monitoring period, keep the doors shut in the area that is being monitored as much as possible. This will minimize the chances for pests from adjacent storage areas or outdoors from entering.
- Replace pheromone traps on a schedule that accommodates the length of time the pheromone remains active, if a trap becomes overly saturated with the target pest, or if the period of using pheromones or food lures for monitoring has ended.
References and Resources
Weinzierl, R., T. Henn, P. G. Koehler and C. L. Tucker. 2005. Insect Attractants and Traps. Alternatives in Insect Management. Office of Agricultural Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Summary: Traps baited with chemical attractants capture only one species or a narrow range of species. This specificity simplifies the identification and counting of target pests. Sensitivity and specificity make attractant-baited traps efficient, labor-saving tools.
Case study: Responding to a Potential Disasters: Moths in the Ethnographic Collections at the American Museum of Natural History, poster presented at the 2017 SPNHC Annual Meeting describes how pheromone traps were useful in the monitoring program after a large infestation was discovered.