Potential for suppressing Diprion similis (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) with pheromone trapping: A population model

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: The virgin female introduced pine sawfly, Diprion similis (Hartig), produces a powerful sex pheromone capable of attracting males. Pending chemical identification of the substance, a pilot study in male annihilation is under consideration. A mathematical model was developed to assess the feasibility of population suppression using pheromone‐baited traps. Departure from preexisting population models resulted chiefly from the arrhenotokous nature of the sawfly. The model predicts alternating sawfly generations which undergo first a large shift in the sex ratio but no population reduction, followed by a large decrease in population size with a moderating sex ratio. Four generations of intensive trapping would theoretically be sufficient to eliminate the sawfly from an isolated area.

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit: