Pest Control by Attractants: A Case Study Demonstrating Economy, Specificity, and Environmental Acceptability

The agencies responsible for the protection of public interests in regard to agricultural pests cannot avoid this responsibility on the grounds that the methods are not ideal. They must provide protection through application of whatever methods are most suitable of those available. Such suitability is determined by weighing the losses that would occur if no protection was forthcoming against any real (and possible) adverse effects of the protecting action. Indeed, since ideal methods are rarely available, compromises must be made and tradeoffs of risk versus benefit are essential, resulting occasionally in controversy. The problem is particularly acute in those areas of pest control where alternatives to previous methods urgently need development. Thus, the use of a broad-spectrum insecticide may be replaced or integrated with a more specific and acceptable technique such as establishment of or inundation with beneficial parasites or predators, by suppression or eradication of the pest with releases of sterile insects, or use of behavioral or developmental modifiers such as attractants and hormones. However, these biological, autocidal, and integrated techniques require more intensive and specific research and developmental effort than do broadspectrum techniques. Thus, they are often impatiently awaited as need for control of a pest: continues but proven acceptable methods become fewer. This note demonstrates that, nevertheless, quiet success has been achieved in some areas of pest control through the cooperative efforts of action and research agencies. A case in point is that of fruit flies (Tephritidae) introduced to the mainland United States.