Better Traps, Fewer Bugs

A natural sex attractant identified by an ARS researcher a 'friendly' insect--the spined soldier bug--to the garden or orchard. Once the bug is there, it reproduces and kills many pests of vegetables and trees. The research has been patented and licensed to Sterling International, Inc., of Veradale, Washington (USPN 6,083,498; Docket #0268.97). Sterling manufactures the attractors and distributes them through nurseries and hardware stores.

The sex attractant, called a pheromone, is housed in a yellow, weather-resistant cone, and placed in the soil every 10 feet. One cone is sufficient for a 10-by-20 foot garden. The manufacturer recommends setting it out in early spring and replacing the attractor every 60 days during the growing season.

The bug is a natural predator of  100 insect pests, including the nasty yellow larvae of the Mexican bean beetle and the destructive Colorado potato beetle. It also attacks such orchard pests as codling moths and tent caterpillars.

The spined soldier bug is but one of a number of beneficial insects that farmers can employ to destroy insect pests. An important advantage to controlling one insect with another is that the process doesn't harm other useful insects or birds and animals.

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Updated 7/25/03