Diamondback Moth Pest Management - Lepidopteran Pest Control - King Quenson Classroom

Part III: Diamondback Moth Pest Management

When we talk about the pest control of diamondback moth, it is important to emphasize the climate effects:
Cool, windy weather reduces adult activity and females often die before they lay all their eggs. Heavy rainfall can drown small larvae and reduce numbers by more than 50%. Humid conditions within the crop following rainfall or sprinkler irrigation can promote the spread of fatal fungal diseases throughout the diamondback moth population.

Second is pest monitoring:
Pheromone traps can be used to monitor adult populations and may predict larval populations 11 to 21 days later. Place the traps along a field edge and just above the crop canopy.

Third is Natural Enemies:
Diamondback moths are affected by diseases, parasites, and predators like wasps and spiders. Although some areas do not have such conditions, it must be said that introducing natural predators can be one of the most effective ways of both stabilizing ecosystems and managing pests.