Pheromone cluster caterpillar

The pheromone capsule cluster caterpillar is a rubber that is impregnated with the scent that the females spread to attract the males. The pheromone is therefore species-specific. You cannot catch other moths with a pheromone cluster caterpillar.

The males, attracted by the female sex pheromone, fly to the scent and land on the glue plate. One pheromone capsule works for 6 weeks. After that, the pheromone capsule must be replaced by a new capsule.

The pheromone is placed directly on the adhesive base or in the pheromone holder under the roof of the pheromone trap.

What does the pheromone trap do?

A pheromone trap is a tool to reduce the population of Lobesia botrana. The more males are captured, the less females can be fertilized. Less fertilization leads to less egg laying and therefore less harmful caterpillars.

If you hang the pheromone trap on time and consistently, you will notice that you will achieve good results after 3 to 4 years of trapping. In the bio-growth garden, our greenhouse was completely free of bunch caterpillars after three years of trapping. You should hang the trap annually, even if you no longer have any infestation. This way you are prepared if new grape leafrollers fly in your area. Especially if there are neglected greenhouses nearby, the chance of a new infestation is high.

Thanks to the pheromone trap, you will know exactly when the flight of the cluster caterpillar starts at your place. If you want to spray a remedy against cluster caterpillar, you can do this much more targeted thanks to this monitoring.

When to hang out the pheromone trap?

In a cold greenhouse or outside you hang the deltaval bunch caterpillar from early April to early August. In a heated greenhouse you hang the pheromone trap from early March. The moths come out before there are leaves on the grapevines, from 10 °C and more.

With global warming, we notice that flights are starting earlier and lasting longer.

In our country there are normally 2 generations per year. In southern countries there are 3 generations of this leafroller and it is best to hang pheromone traps until the beginning of September.

Can I hang a pheromone trap later than mid-April?

Definitely! The peak in the flight of the cluster caterpillar is in May-June. It is therefore certainly interesting to hang a pheromone trap during this period. The following year, you should hang the trap on time.

How many traps should I hang?

Lobesia botrana is in Belgium mainly a problem in greenhouses. Hang 1 trap per greenhouse of 140 m2. In grape cultivation outside you hang 40 traps per hectare.

Storing pheromones

Store the pheromone capsule in the freezer in a closed jar to retain the pheromone scent as much as possible. You can use pheromone capsules that you store in the freezer the year of purchase and the year after. Never store pheromone capsules at room temperature for a longer period of time, as this will cause the pheromone to lose its effectiveness.

Buy pheromones separately

Since the delta trap can easily be used for three years, you can purchase the adhesive bases and pheromones separately in our webshop.