Putting Pheromones to Work: Paths Forward for Direct Control

Abstract

Insect pheromones offer exciting examples of pure science applied to human benefit. Even before the first pheromones had been identified, the potential for practical exploitation was recognized—a potential that has now been realized in many successful schemes using pheromones for direct control of insect pests. Although most uses have been in agriculture and forestry, manipulation of vector insects with behavior-modifying chemicals looks increasingly possible in medical entomology—for example, via the sex pheromones of sandflies (e.g., Hamilton et al. 1994) and oviposition attractants of mosquitoes (e.g., Beehler et al. 1994; Mordue et al. 1992). There still remains the question why the application of pheromones has not been greater.