2: It's raining moths: Drone technology for sterile codling moth release

An area-wide project in Canada using sterile codling moth for moth control in apples has been operating since the early 1990s with good success in suppression of codling moth. What is less known is whether this technique could be part of an integrated pest management scheme utilized by individual growers on smaller acreages. Recently, organic fruit growers in Washington state began experiencing higher than expected fruit damage from codling moth and sought a solution to supplement existing programs without causing secondary pest outbreaks. Additionally, there was interest in using new release technologies, such as drones, that could be readily scaled to treated acreage. In 2018, a pilot study of sterile codling moth release was begun in Okanogan County, WA with sterile moths supplied by the Canadian rearing and sterilization facility in Osoyoos, BC.  We applied two rates of sterile moths (5,928 and 1,976moths/ha) to replicated 1.6-3.2 ha blocks, and compared them to a non-SIR check.  We monitored the plots throughout the season with pheromone traps, and measured fruit damage before harvest. The recapture rate of sterile moths fluctuated throughout the season; in 2018 the recapture rate reflected the differing application rates, but there were few differences in 2019 and 2020.  In the first season, we found a significant reduction in codling moth damage in blocks sterile moths were released, but the results were more variable in the second and third season.  Overall codling moth damage was < 0.75%.